• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The breakout star is the first Filipino woman in a Grand Slam main singles draw, a reality created by on-court success—and private backing.

Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Marvin Bagley III (35) and forward Kyshawn George (18) talk after a turnover against the Charlotte Hornets during the third quarter at Capital One Arena.
Exclusive

Wizards Hire Ex-ESPN Editor Cristina Daglas for Front Office Role

ESPN placed Cristina Daglas on administrative leave in January.
Read Now
October 29, 2025 |

Alex Eala will make history Sunday at the French Open as the first woman from the Philippines to compete in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam.

Eala, who turned 20 on Friday, broke through at the Miami Open in April with a semifinals finish after beating three former Grand Slam champions, including then–world No. 2 Iga Świątek. She took home a $332,160 prize that nearly doubled her career earnings, and has since shot up 71 places in the world rankings, climbing from No. 140 to No. 69. She will face Colombia’s Emiliana Arango in the first round Sunday at Roland-Garros.

While Eala has been embraced by her home country, her success highlights the difficulties for elite athletes from the Southeast Asian nation who have long struggled to find government support. In 2025, the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is about $23.3 million (P1.3 billion)—just a little more than the $20 million NIL budget of Ohio State football last season.

“The problem the athletes have today is the same that we had before,” Raymond Suarez, who represented the Philippines in the Davis Cup in the ’80s, tells Front Office Sports. “Wala tayo masyadong court, walang equipment, walang sponsor. (There weren’t many courts, equipment, or sponsors.) You have to rely on your own private family sponsorship.”

Fortunately for Eala, her family had “the means” to help support her international lifestyle, her uncle, Noli Eala, tells Front Office Sports. She received a coveted scholarship to attend the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain when she was 13 years old, but her family also knew that investing in her potential pro career would require additional financial support.

“[Alex’s dad] was asking me about how to look for funding,” says Noli Eala, who is also the former chairman of the PSC.

He added that private sector funding is the best avenue for Philippine athletes looking to sustain themselves. But it’s often hard for many to find backers.

“Very few companies really have the resources to spare to throw away for athletes who they don’t know whether we’ll win or not,” Noli Eala says.

Alex had a head start in receiving private backing, as her mother is the former CFO of Globe, one of the giant telecommunications companies in the Philippines.

She’s been sponsored by Globe since she was 8, according to Tennis365. Their brand logo along with Bank of the Philippine Islands, which shares the same parent company as Globe, can be seen patched onto Eala’s tennis top. She also has sponsorships from Nike and Babolat. 

The biggest help is Eala’s on-court success, most notably in September 2022, when she won the US Open juniors championship, becoming the first Filipino to ever win a Junior Grand Slam singles title.

But not every successful Filipino athlete has received support like Eala—which has led several of the country’s best to switch representation.

Chess grandmaster Wesley So, who was born in the Philippines, began representing the U.S. in 2014 when he moved to Minnesota with his adoptive parents. So, who is currently ranked No. 11 in the world, became an official U.S. citizen in 2021, and said he had a “better chance” of making it in the U.S. than anywhere else.

“That does not mean I don’t love the Philippines. I have good memories from there. But I did not have the connections needed to succeed in that culture. I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money, etcetera I wanted to go further, and there was only one country [where] a nobody [could] make it. The USA!” So said.

Two-time US Open women’s golf champion Yuka Saso changed her representation from the Philippines to Japan in 2022. Saso, who was born in the Philippines to a Japanese father and Filipino mother, has won one US Open representing each country.

World No. 4 men’s pole vaulter EJ Obiena has admitted to receiving offers from other countries—acknowledging it may be a financial help—but has declined.

“I will never abandon my nation because of money. That’s not my loyalty, at least not how I define it,” Obiena said in 2021.

Despite the funding issues, the Philippines has seen its most international sports success in recent years, and not only because of Eala. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won the country’s first  Olympic gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the Philippines women’s national football team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2023, and gymnast Carlos Yulo added two more Olympic golds during the Paris Games last year.

(Yulo and the Philippines made headlines following his Olympic success due to some outrageous prizes companies offered him, including a lifetime supply of ramen and free colonoscopies.)

Given Eala’s early success—and the fact that a first-round win will bring her even closer to $1 million in earnings—she may not have to consider representing another country. But there are still other unique hurdles for Filipino citizens, who need to apply for visas to travel to more than 150 countries around the world, including the U.S. and the European Union.

“What’s challenging is being able to travel flexibly. I find challenging the visas, being able to plan because as a tennis player, you need to be very flexible with your schedule, you’re going to make a lot of last-minute choices,” said Eala at a virtual press conference in April.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.

Jannik Sinner’s $6M Saudi Payday Tops Any Grand Slam Purse

The other five participants received $1.5 million.

Featured Today

@chef__tezz/Instagram

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
October 18, 2025

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
October 18, 2025

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.
May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
October 16, 2025

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Sep 11, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Injured Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) stands on the sidelines before a WNBA game against the New York Liberty at Wintrust Arena.

After ‘Mebounds’ and ‘Reesebounds,’ Angel Reese Trademarks Her Name

The Sky player has already trademarked “Reesebounds” and “Mebounds.”
May 1, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather (left) stares at Manny Pacquiao during weigh-ins for the upcoming boxing fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
October 29, 2025

Pacquiao Confirms Mayweather Fight Talks After Political Career Fizzles

Pacquiao and Mayweather last fought in May 2015.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Aug 25, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Close up view of the ball and club of Scott Scheffler during the first round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament.
October 27, 2025

From Third Tier to $1M: Michael Brennan’s Surprise PGA Tour Win

The 23-year-old won his first professional start on the PGA Tour.
Oct 26, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates a three-point shot in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Frost Bank Center.
October 27, 2025

NBA Betting Scandals Overshadow Wembanyama’s Superstar Leap

Wembanyama is following the path of Shohei Ohtani in MLB.
Terry Rozier
October 24, 2025

Terry Rozier Will Be Paid Full NBA Salary While on Leave

The Heat are scheduled to pay Rozier $26.6 million for this season. 
Oct 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) holds the MVP trophy after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in game five of the NLCS during the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium.
October 24, 2025

World Series Will Be First to Showcase Ohtani’s Two-Way Skills

The two-way superstar is slated to pitch in the World Series.