STUTTGART, Germany — Stuttgart was one of the tournaments that caught the eye of World No. 45 Alexandra Eala doesn’t see important information online.
She has yet to compete at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix as she embarks on her first full year at the WTA Tour level, but will make her debut in Stuttgart against Leylah Fernandez in the first round.
On Sunday, wtatennis.com sat down with Eala in Stuttgart, discussing his thoughts on the southwestern German city, embracing his fame and more. Here are some of the highlights of the discussion:
Welcome to Stuttgart. How was the journey from Linz, and how were the first few days there?
Order: I really enjoy it. This contest is definitely the most watched contest on the internet. It’s crazy when you can see something so much like TV, and you can see it in person, it’s game over. It is obviously a very popular competition.
When you think about your journey and rise on the WTA Tour, you often say that you take everything with a “gratitude spoon.” Why do you think it’s important to have that gratitude while living the life of a professional athlete?
Order: In this situation, you are very — it comes with its own problems. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a tough job — but it’s really handled very well in individual sports, a lot of things are taken care of, and they have to be given to you because that’s how you succeed.
In my case, there is a lot of attention. There is a lot of attention from the media, a lot of exposure to the fans. I think sometimes it’s a lot. And if you don’t have that “gratitude spoon” or you don’t have that direction or you don’t have a clear sense of who you are or what you’re up against, you can get lost in all of these things.
You obviously have a very large following. I’m curious, with fans as loud and proud as yours, how do you stay focused during a game, knowing in some ways that you’re waiting for them?
Order: Being loud and proud, especially when it comes to culture, is very important to us Filipinos, there are very few nations that I see that are as loud and proud as we are. There are so many of us that I think it should be celebrated, that there is someone on the world stage, representing the Philippines.
I am very proud that I was able to do that for my country. Then again, it’s about balance. I focus when I need to focus. He is very professional. It’s my first year on tour, but I feel like I can handle these things pretty well. I know that if I don’t put in the work, the rest will not follow, because you put in the work and things will follow.
Where do you think Filipinos’ passion and love for professional sports comes from?
Order: Filipinos, we are a positive people. We are very sweet or very in love. I think we have a very strong sense of community. I too, when I see a Filipino anywhere in the world, I feel that I will immediately know that they are Filipino.
Where you come from, I think is a big part of who you are, and the culture that you are in or the culture that you come from, I think is something that is shared among all Filipinos.
You had the opportunity to play the WTA 125 in Manila, the first time the tour held an event there. What was the experience like, and how important was it to you in the larger context of seeing tennis continue to grow in the Philippines?
Order: It was an amazing experience for me. It was an emotional and homely experience. I think the last time I was able to compete with sleeping in my own bed was a long time ago. It was very emotional because just to be able to influence this at a certain level means a lot to me because when I was growing up, there were never those opportunities in your area. You would always be willing and find it, and that’s why I went out and found my opportunities when they came.
I think it’s a great platform or a stepping stone for women, and athletes in general in the Philippines just because they can see the first level and they can feel it.
At 125, who knows, maybe the event will keep growing. It would be the goal of Filipino tennis players to set a realistic and professional goal to be able to play in a WTA event at home or in all these countries — we are in Stuttgart, last week I was in Linz or Miami. All these people, all these girls and little boys can go with their families, see these great players, see it, and then, spread the dream.
Can you expand your access and opportunities, as well as your initial interest in tennis?
Order: Tennis in my family — I was coached by my grandfather for the first 10 years of my ‘career’. From 3.5 to 13 (years), it was him and I practiced every day with my brother.
He had also coached a few of my older cousins, so it started as a way for me to bond with him. Of course, my parents wanted — I think sports as part of education teaches you a lot. My parents would come with me and we would compete internationally.
Obviously we started in Asia, and then we would go to Europe again. America. Now I think the biggest opportunity came when I won Les Petit (2018). I went with my father. We were just there and we won it and the Rafa Nadal Academy came to me, so it was a big thing. I moved to Spain when I was 13 years old.
Random question, but I know you were on the Player’s Box podcast. What is your favorite moment and experience recording with other players on tour?
Order: It was very funny. It’s such a personality and obviously amazing players. It’s really nice to be able to like have those conversations with them, whether it’s about tennis or not. I think if you had told me like five, 10 years ago, that I’d be like just talking to Madison Keys or Jessica Pegula or some other mixed doubles, you know, Grand Slam Champions, I’d be like, ‘Oh my God, it’s good.’
My favorite part was my “unforced error” because that happened and I like to wait a whole week and a half to be able to tell them that.
Have you improved your French at all?
Order: Oh my goodness, no. But maybe with Roland Garros, it will be better (laughs).
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