Alex Eala stunning popularity means she could already be considered to be a leading star in the game, with Sky Sports Tennis presenter Gigi Salmon comparing her star status to that of Taylor Swift.
Eala has yet to win a WTA Tour event and is currently ranked at No 31, but her star power has been building since her memorable run to the Miami Open semi-finals last March.
Her fans back in her Philippines homeland have helped to make Eala one of the most popular players in women’s tennis, with the crowds flocking to her matches and practice sessions during last month’s tournaments in Australia highlighting her status.
Now Sky Sports lead presented Salmon has given her verdict on what Eala could achieve, as she spoke to at a Sky Sports Tennis event in London.
“I would say, in terms of her appeal, the crowds that follow her, she might already be the biggest star,” said Salmon.
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“Coco Gauff said after one of her matches recently that she was really sorry for holding up a match with Alex and promise the fans that she would be out soon. Players are already saying, which they used to say with Roger Federer, I know you didn’t come to support me, but thank you very much.
“I remember Miami last year. I spoke to her a few times on that run through to the semi-final and the clouds were phenomenal. And this year in the Middle East, it’s been sensational.
“In Dubai, it was a like a pop concert. It was like a Taylor Swift was playing. People were screaming and maybe that can become a burden at some point, but I like the fact that at the moment, she just seems to be flourishing. She thanked them all and she’s a superstar. I just think she’s got everything.”
Eala was comprehensively beaten in her match against Gauff in Dubai and the question must be whether she can lift her game to the next level and challenge the true greats to the game.
At the age of 20, she has time on her side to develop her physicality and her presence on court, with Salmon excited to see where she can go in 2026.
“She hits a big ball,” she added. “She’s training for Rough Nadal Academy, we know she’s done it for a few years, but I think she can go far.”
Eala spoke to Tennis365 in an exclusive interview last year and she confirmed her fanbase are inspiring her to reach for the stars in the women’s game after her memorable run in Miami last year, which included a famous win against Iga Swiatek.
Sky Sports Tennis host Gigi Salmon
Sponsors and media have been clamouring to work with one of the rising stars of the women’s game, in a story that some observers have compared to that of Emma Raducanu after her 2021 US Open win, yet Eala insists she will not allow the hype around her to distract from what she needs to do to reach the top.
“I think I have done a good job and my team have done a good job of dealing with everything that happened after Miami,” said Eala, speaking exclusively to Tennis365.
“So many things changed and my perspective has changed since Miami, but my day-to-day life is the same. I have the same work ethic and the same attention to detail.
“What happened in Miami was definitely a big surprise for me. It’s difficult because I try not to look at it as a big picture thing, as that tournament progressed.
“I didn’t even look at the draw. I just went match by match because you don’t know how far you are going to get and every round there was another big obstacle.
“For sure, it gave me a lot of confidence to know that my level is there to play against the top players, but I know there is a lot more for me to do before i can be there consistently.”
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Eala went on to suggest her family are the most important people in her life and they keep her grounded as the tennis spotlight falls on her once again at Wimbledon this summer.
“I am lucky that my family played such a big role in my career and they have been so important for me so far,” she told us.
“They built the structure for me. They built the path I walked on. That was the start I needed to start my career.
“For me, family is such a crucial part of who I am and from where I come from, we are so family-oriented.”
Now Eala is relishing the chance to return to grass courts in an English summer that will include her debut in the main draw at Wimbledon.
“I’m always excited to go back on grass. It’s a very unique experience,” she added. “I haven’t played enough on it to form a solid opinion on the surface, but I definitely enjoy it.
“We do not have many grass courts in the Philippines. I probably only played on grass when I was hitting the ball around in a back yard!”
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Watch the WTA 1000 tournaments Indian Wells and Miami live on Sky Sports Tennis in the UK and Ireland.
The post Alex Eala’s enormous popularity compared to Taylor Swift by leading voice appeared first on Tennis365.
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