Beyond her wins at Wimbledon, Filipino tennis star Alexandra Eala brought awareness and understanding of our country in a way few government agencies or sports bodies could have done in a tournament setting.
Eala deserves all the laurels for reaching the second week of the tournament, and at only 21 years old. Pundits have been nearly unanimous in saying she has a future in the tennis world, based on her Wimbledon performance and her victories over big names. She defeated experienced players Renata Zarazua, Maya Joint and defending champion Iga Swiatek before falling to Jasmine Paolini.
I followed not only her matches but also the many interviews she gave during her two-week stint.
In these interviews, she was asked about her fan base and how people were impressed that the Filipino crowd in the arena was respectful and orderly. Eala replied by saying that Filipinos have a strong sense of community, a sense of bayanihan, where we support compatriots who excel in sports. She cited Filipino sports legend Manny Pacquiao, whose every fight was watched by millions of his countrymen. She echoed reports of how everything would stop, and even the crime rate would go down, during Pacquiao’s fights.
She also described Filipinos as hospitable, able to keep our cool while remaining warm toward others. She spoke of the diaspora, of how there seemed to be a Filipino community in every part of the world she visited for tournaments.
She carried her identity naturally, not in the usual “Pinoy pride” way, but in a calm, diplomatic manner. She was able to bring the Philippines with her into the world’s tennis conversations.
I recall one online discussion where the hosts explained to one another that people from the Philippines were called Filipinos, with “Filipino” also used for men and “Filipina” for women, much like “Latino” and “Latina.” That clarity was important for those who were encountering the terms for the first time.
All these boosted the reputation of the Philippines, perhaps more than any one organization could do in such a short span of time. The Department of Tourism at least recognized Eala for shining “a global spotlight on the Philippines and our people’s indomitable spirit, introducing millions of viewers worldwide to our nation and giving Filipinos everywhere another reason to proudly wave our flag.”
Eala promoted the Philippines not through speeches or slogans, but through the flag beside her name, the Tagalog phrase “Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto” on her visor and sweatshirt, the sampaguita reference and the way she answered questions about country and identity. ABS-CBN gave a beautiful translation of the phrase: “Every dream begins as a seed. Once it grows, it cannot be stopped.”
Eala carried the Philippines to Wimbledon on her visor, in her answers and in the way she handled victory and defeat. That was what I liked most. She made the Philippines look composed, capable and ready for the stage.