2 weeks ago
7
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Just days after turning 20, Alex Eala marks another milestone as the first Filipino tennis player in the Open era, male or female, to play in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam
MANILA, Philippines – History will be made on Sunday, May 25, when Alex Eala hits her first left-handed forehand drive on the hallowed red clay court of Roland-Garros.
Eala will see action in the main draw of the 2025 French Open in Paris, France when she faces Emiliana Arango of Colombia in the opening round.
Her debut in the second Grand Slam event of the season will make Eala the first Filipino tennis player, male or female, to ever play in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam event in the Open era.
The tennis Open era refers to the time after 1968 when amateurs and professional players were finally allowed to compete against each other, effectively ending the distinction between pros and amateurs in tennis. Today’s modern tennis is part of the Open era.
Eala will be up against world No. 88 Emiliana Arango of Colombia in the opening round, and for the first time in a WTA event, the Filipina will face an opponent who does not outrank her.
This, though, does not in any way mean it will be smooth sailing for the world No. 69 Filipina when she makes her Grand Slam debut.
Turning 20 years old just this May 23, Eala needs to bring her A game against an opponent who not only has had a pretty solid season thus far, but has shown in the past the ability to come back from adversity.
As an unseeded player, Arango bagged the title of the WTA 125 Cancun Tennis Open in Mexico last February.
She followed this up with another impressive showing in her next tournament. She won two qualifying matches to reach the main draw of the WTA 500 Merida Akron Open in Yucatan, Mexico, then made it all the way to the finals where she lost in straight sets to world No. 9 Emma Navarro of the United States.
Arango’s outstanding February showing earned for her a new career high world ranking of 79th by March of this year.
The 24-year-old Arango is a known clay court specialist whose style of play is characterized by aggressive baseline play, but she has also shown that she is not afraid to approach the net and vary her attack.
She is also known for her mental strength and poise that have been key in her wins and her ability to come back from injuries.
The Colombian is not known as a big server. This plays into Eala’s penchant for pouncing on opponent’s serves by hitting it powerfully on the rise, setting the tone of the rallies.
Eala will need to keep the ball in play and push Arango on the defensive by forcing her to move from side to side and scramble for returns.
The winner of the Eala-Arango tussle will move on to the second round where she would face either world No. 8 Qinwen Zheng of China or former world No. 11 and 2021 French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia.
Before Eala, legendary Filipino players Felicisimo Ampon, Raymundo Deyro, Johnny Jose, Cesar Carmona, and Guillermo “Willie” Hernandez all played in numerous Grand Slam singles events before the Open era.
The “Mighty Mite” Ampon made the quarterfinals of the French Open in 1952 and 1953. This remains the best finish by any Filipino in a Grand Slam singles event.
Largely considered the greatest Filipino tennis player of all time, Ampon likewise reached the fourth round of the US Open four times (1948-1950, 1952) and the third round of Wimbledon thrice (1949, 1950, 1953).
Deyro advanced to the fourth round of the French Open in 1951 and 1953. He also made it all the way to the third round of the US Open (1946, 1955) and Wimbledon (1948, 1953).
The other Filipinos who played in a Grand Slam singles events prior to the Open era were Jose (1955 US Open first round), Carmona (1946 US Open second round, 1950 and 1951 French Open second round, 1950 Wimbledon third round), and Hernandez (1959 Australian Open second round, 1961 US Open second round, 1962 Wimbledon second round).
The last time a player with Filipino roots played in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam in the Open era was 21 years ago.
Former Philippine team stalwart Cecil Mamiit saw action in the 2004 Australian Open men’s singles when he lost in straight sets in the first round to former world No. 1 Leyton Hewitt.
However, Mamiit was still representing the United States during those years. He transferred federations and started representing the Philippines during the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in Manila.
Mamiit played in the main draw of all the four Grand Slam events, reaching the second round of the Australian Open (1999, 2001), the French Open (2001, 2002), and the US Open (1999).
Another former Philippine team member, Eric Taino, played in the US Open men’s singles main draw in 2001 and 2002.
But he, too, was still representing the United States in those years and switched to the Philippine federation in 2005 with Mamiit.
The best finish by a Filipino in a Grand Slam event was achieved by doubles specialist and longtime Philippine team player Treat Huey.
Partnering with Max Mirnyi of Belarus, the pair reached the men’s doubles semifinals of Wimbledon in 2016. The recently retired Huey also reached the men’s doubles quarterfinals of the US Open in 2013 and the Australian Open in 2014 and 2016.
Eala is now in a position to make more history in the French Open. A victory in the singles opening round will be unprecedented and will already match Mamiit’s best Grand Slam finish.
Eala is also set to join the women’s doubles event with Renata Zarazua of Mexico as her partner. This will make her the first Filipina to play in the women’s doubles competition of a Grand Slam event. – Rappler.com
