Alex Eala is continuing her busy season at the Japan Open in Tokyo, where she has enjoyed a very positive start.
The Filipina superstar defeated Mika Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 in her opening match, setting up a meeting with Talia Gibson. Eala has a fantastic chance in Tokyo, where the world number 19 is chasing a second career title.
But according to former world number five Daniela Hantuchova, Eala is already the standout figure of the 2026 season. The seven-time WTA champion has been blown away by the impact the 21-year-old has made in her brief career so far.
Will Alex Eala win a Grand Slam in 2027?
If so, which one does she take?
Alex Eala picked as the standout tennis story of 2026
Featuring on Match Point Canada, Hantuchova was asked to pick what stands out for her looking back at the latest season, across both men’s and women’s tennis.
Reminded with moments such as the comeback of Serena Williams and the huge volume of Filipino fans who headed to Toronto to watch Eala at the Canadian Open, she said: “I would go with the Alex story, because she has again showed what kind of exposure and power tennis has bringing so much interest to her part of the world, and hopefully so much motivation for young girls coming from the Philippines to pick up a tennis racket and follow her steps.
“And that’s always the beauty about tennis, that you can come from so many different places around the world. I think we are one of the most out there sports as far as covering all the continents. And at the end of the day, we grew up against the wall, all you need really is a tennis ball and a tennis racket. And once you have that, everything’s possible.
“Just following my own story, even if you come from a very, very simple background, as long as you have the wish, you have the dream, you have the desire. And that’s where Alex’s story has been probably one of the most inspirational ones. And just seeing how much interest she’s brought to women’s tennis from parts of the world that we didn’t maybe expect a couple of years ago.”
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It has certainly been an extraordinary rise from Eala, who has rapidly become one of the most popular players in the sport. And notably, despite being just 21, she has handled the pressure on her shoulders expertly.
Moreover, Eala constantly makes time for her fans, always staying behind after her matches to sign autographs. She has indeed been a fantastic role model in her brief career so far, which certainly has an upward trajectory.
The season is rapidly drawing to a close, but she will still have her sights set on more success before 2027 arrives. And that will begin at the Japan Open against Gibson, another rising star. But history is very much on Eala’s side in this match-up, with the Filipina having won both of her previous clashes against the Australian.
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