SINGAPORE — When tennis star Alex Eala is told that she is an inspiration — particularly to Filipinos, and to athletes — she understands all too well what it means.
Not so long ago, the 21-year-old Eala was one of those young Filipinos who found herself looking up to an athlete who had reached the pinnacle of her sport.
"Growing up, I really looked up to [former Chinese tennis star] Li Na," Eala said Friday in Singapore's NCO Club, where she was unveiled as the face of a hotel chain's official tennis platform. "That's because she's from Asia, and I [am] Asian.
"It has a huge power on people, when you see people where you come from, and they're being successful," she added. "There's a lot of inspiration in that."
"I feel it now, as an established player," Eala said.
READ: How Alex Eala stays grounded amid rising fame, fortune, and expectations
Eala, who began learning tennis at age four, was only six when Li won her first major in the 2011 French Open. Three years later, the Chinese icon would win the 2014 Australian Open; that same year, she reached a career-high ranking of No. 2.
Seeing her success has stuck with Eala, and it's something she considers when asked about being an inspiration, particularly as an Asian woman in tennis.
"It's funny because I've experienced this whole community as a fan and as a kid, and now, as a professional tennis player," she said. "It's nice to see it in different angles."
This is why for Eala, being an inspiration to other Filipinos — and being seen as their representative in a global sport — is not a source of added pressure but rather an opportunity for growth.
"I guess with everything that I've experienced recently and being on tour, and connecting with people, I think it's opened my eyes, really, to the power of representation, and what it can do for people, how it can inspire, and how it can touch," Eala said.
"I look back at myself as a young kid and you know, you can connect the dots. I went through that same inspiration, I guess, with Li Na, and others, [India's former world No. 1 in doubles] Sania Mirza and people who have paved the way," she added.
This is not to say that she does not feel the pressure. "It does weigh, at times," Eala says. "I'm not gonna say that it doesn't weigh at all."
But she does not allow the weight to overwhelm her. Instead, Eala finds ways to turn the pressure into a positive — to use the expectation that people have of her as motivation to improve herself.
"The pressure that comes with that, I think, is also just part of the things I have to navigate as a professional tennis player. I see it as something that comes with my career," she said. "I see it as an opportunity for me to develop my character, to be more self-confident.
"So more than pressure, I think I see it as an opportunity for me to improve myself and to do my little part in giving back to the community through inspiration," she added.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines holds the Championship Trophy after winning the women's singles championship match against Jessica Pegula of the United States on the final day of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on August 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. Scott Taetsch, Getty Images/AFP
Eala has seen firsthand how representation and visibility can inspire tangible change. In the Philippines, interest in tennis is on the rise; the country hosted a WTA event for the first time in January and more courts are expected to be built. A sporting goods retailer told Agence France-Presse in August that there has been a 66% spike in the sales of beginner's rackets.
The national tennis federation is taking steps to build on Eala's achievements, including sending more local players to international tournaments and certifying more coaches to teach the basics of the sport.
READ: Young Filipino tennis players drawing inspiration from Alex Eala
"Ngayon, dahil sa kanya, mas maraming gustong humawak na raketa, magtry, maglalaro," John Rey Tiangco, Secretary General of the Philippine Tennis Association, said in July.
In the meantime, Eala will continue to step on the court, where she will almost certainly be watched by a supportive crowd who want to see the world No. 18 in action. There will be Filipinos watching online and in person, and once the match is over — regardless of the result — Eala will find the time to express her gratitude to them.
"It means so much, and it adds so much meaning to an already very meaningful job, and an already meaningful sport," Eala said of the support she receives from her countrymen. "I never skip out on a chance to thank them, because they really do show up for me, and I do my best to show up and give back to them.
"Every chance I can, I want to say thank you."