Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Malacañan Palace
July 13, 2026
“You never fail to remind everyone that you are a Filipina. You never fail to do that. Somehow always nasisingit mo. In the video that they just showed us, you said, pagka lumalago, hindi na [hihinto.] Basta kahit papaano naisisingit mo ‘yung pagka-Filipina mo. And you know that’s very touching for all of us that you don't forget the rest of us,” expressed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. when he hosted a homecoming reception for Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra ‘Alex’ Eala — whose dedication, perseverance and excellence have brought great pride to the nation and raised the Philippine flag on the international tennis stage.
In his remarks, the President admitted he is a big fan of the Filipina tennis star and acknowledged the qualities that make her a champion. “You know, when you win a big match, when you get to – you win a big tournament, you know, you allow yourself to be happy for three minutes. And then you start thinking. You're thinking about your next match. You're thinking about your next tournament. And that is a sign of true professionalism. And for that, that really is impressive,” he said.
Born in Quezon City, Alex Eala moved to Spain at 13 to train at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy, dedicating herself to excellence in one of the world’s most competitive sports. Her years of hard work and sacrifice culminated in historic achievements, including becoming the first Filipina to win a Junior Grand Slam singles title at the 2022 US Open. Her breakthrough came in 2025 at the Miami Open, where she defeated some of the sport’s biggest aces. She continued to rise in 2026 after her Wimbledon run, during which she became the first Filipina in the Open Era to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
“We have found in you a new champion, a champion who has made the Philippines proud, who has reminded Filipinos what a great race Filipinos are... We are all here. We are all behind you. When you're in some faraway place and maybe your friends or the Filipino community cannot all come and watch you, know, know that we are all there behind you,” President Marcos Jr. continued in his message.
Today, Alex Eala holds a career-high Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) World No. 28 ranking — the highest ever achieved by a Filipina tennis player.
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Malacañan Palace
July 13, 2026
“You never fail to remind everyone that you are a Filipina. You never fail to do that. Somehow always nasisingit mo. In the video that they just showed us, you said, pagka lumalago, hindi na [hihinto.] Basta kahit papaano naisisingit mo ‘yung pagka-Filipina mo. And you know that’s very touching for all of us that you don't forget the rest of us,” expressed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. when he hosted a homecoming reception for Filipina tennis sensation Alexandra ‘Alex’ Eala — whose dedication, perseverance and excellence have brought great pride to the nation and raised the Philippine flag on the international tennis stage.
In his remarks, the President admitted he is a big fan of the Filipina tennis star and acknowledged the qualities that make her a champion. “You know, when you win a big match, when you get to – you win a big tournament, you know, you allow yourself to be happy for three minutes. And then you start thinking. You're thinking about your next match. You're thinking about your next tournament. And that is a sign of true professionalism. And for that, that really is impressive,” he said.
Born in Quezon City, Alex Eala moved to Spain at 13 to train at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy, dedicating herself to excellence in one of the world’s most competitive sports. Her years of hard work and sacrifice culminated in historic achievements, including becoming the first Filipina to win a Junior Grand Slam singles title at the 2022 US Open. Her breakthrough came in 2025 at the Miami Open, where she defeated some of the sport’s biggest aces. She continued to rise in 2026 after her Wimbledon run, during which she became the first Filipina in the Open Era to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
“We have found in you a new champion, a champion who has made the Philippines proud, who has reminded Filipinos what a great race Filipinos are... We are all here. We are all behind you. When you're in some faraway place and maybe your friends or the Filipino community cannot all come and watch you, know, know that we are all there behind you,” President Marcos Jr. continued in his message.
Today, Alex Eala holds a career-high Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) World No. 28 ranking — the highest ever achieved by a Filipina tennis player.
Connect with RTVM
Website: http://rtvm.gov.ph
Facebook: facebook.com/presidentialcom and facebook.com/rtvmalacanang
YouTube: @RTVMalacanang
Tiktok: @RTVMalacanang
