Sharapova's Praise for Eala
Tennis legend Maria Sharapova has described Filipino tennis star Alex Eala as a 'star' following Eala's stunning victory over defending champion and world No. 3 Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon. Sharapova made the comment on a social media post by Wimbledon, reacting to Eala's historic win. The post was reported by www.gmanews.tv.
Eala's Historic Win
On July 4, 2026 (Philippine time), the 21-year-old Eala defeated Swiatek 7-6 (9), 6-2 in the Round of 32 at Wimbledon, held in England. This victory marked a significant milestone in Eala's career, as she overcame the top-ranked Polish player who was the defending champion.
Viral Photo Comparison
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) shared a viral image on social media comparing Eala's historic win with a similar, older photo of tennis legend Rafael Nadal. The image shows Eala alongside Swiatek, while the older photo features Nadal, who owns the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain where Eala trains.
Eala's Childhood Dream
In December 2015, the Philippine news program State of the Nation featured a young girl practicing tennis and dreaming of becoming a world-famous tennis player. That girl was Eala, who personally met and took a photo with then-world No. 1 Sharapova. In interviews, Eala has often cited Sharapova as her biggest idol. Now, Eala is making a name for herself on the global stage.
Ongoing Campaign
At press time, Eala was competing against Italian Jasmine Paolini in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon.
