BANGKOK — We witnessed history here in Thailand’s capital. Located an hour from the city center, the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand Under His Majesty’s Patronage (yes, that’s really the name) is a complex similar to Manila’s Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. It has 11 courts.
But only one court mattered — the Center Court of Alexandra Eala. If there was a single center of attraction in SEAG Tennis, it was the 20-year-old Philippine flag bearer.
We first saw Alex play singles last Monday on Court B, where she defeated Li Xuan Hong, 6-3, 6-1. By Wednesday, during the mixed doubles semis with Niño Alcantara, the Filipino crowd had grown thicker and louder. Babaw Tiongko from Cebu was here; so were my long-time friends (coaches) Popet Lizardo and Bobie Angelo. I stood beside Navotas Mayor and Philta Sec-Gen John Rey Tiangco. In the semis, Niño and Alex took the first set but dropped the second and then lost a super tiebreak in the third, 7-10. They won bronze.
Last Thursday at 10 a.m. came the women’s singles final. The much-anticipated No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown never materialized after Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, a former world No. 53, retired in the semifinals. That was unfortunate because an Eala-Tjen finale would have been special — Tjen had beaten Alex just last September in São Paulo.
Instead, the final pitted Alex against Mananchaya Sawangkaew. What made this a must-watch in Bangkok was that Alex was facing a hometown player — and the Thais are known for their passionate, noisy support. (Our Pages family was in full force: my dad Bunny, mom Allen, brother Charlie, wife Jasmin and daughter Jana joined me.)
But despite the home-court advantage and a drum-beating Thai crowd, it was a no-contest. Eala entered ranked No. 53 in the world; Sawangkaew was No. 240. Alex took control from the opening game. Though she fell behind love-40 early, she recovered to win that game — and every game thereafter except one in the first set. The opener ended quickly at 6-1.
Alex unloaded heavy groundstrokes on both wings; her backhand, usually a liability for most, was as strong as her forehand. She dictated play, mixing cross-court forehands to the Thai’s backhand with down-the-line backhand winners, adding the occasional drop shot. Her opponent was a good retriever but she lacked firepower.
Final score: 6-1, 6-2. Calm. Confident. In control. And what a way to cap off 2025. After a semifinal run at the Miami Open and a title at the Guadalajara 125, this was the icing on a remarkable tennis cake.
Earlier this week, I had a brief conversation with Alex’s parents, Mike and Rizza.
Mike, like me, is Ilonggo. He grew up in La Carlota, about 45 minutes from Bacolod, and we always speak Ilonggo when we meet. I knew Rizza had once won a SEA Games medal in swimming, so I asked her when.
“Here in Thailand,” she said. “1985.”
Forty years ago — long before Alex was born, before Mike and Rizza had even met — a Filipino swimmer named Rizza Maniego won a bronze medal for Team Philippines.
Forty years later, in the same city, at the same Games, their daughter Alex wins.
Gold.