Eala a paragon of sporting excellence

By Al S. Mendoza

IT warms the heart to see Alex Eala at Malacanang as special dinner/guest of President Marcos Jr. on Monday night.  The occasion did not only validate Eala’s impact on the nation’s consciousness, which Mr. Marcos so zealously recognized with his singular action of engaging the tennis sensation up close and personal.

More than anything, it made Eala a paragon of sporting excellence worthy of emulation.

In his speech to welcome Eala, Mr. Marcos unabashedly admitted that he is Eala’s avid fan.

“We invented this occasion in order for us to have a photo opportunity with you,” the President said of Eala, eliciting chuckles from an audience that included First Lady Lisa Araneta Marcos and Chairman Pato Gregorio of the Philippine Sports Commission.  “Nagpupuyat kami para lang mapanood ka namin.”

Mr. Marcos lavishly heaped praise on Eala’s numerous achievements on the world tennis stage since she turned pro last year, making special mention of the Filipina’s sensational winning run in the just-ended Wimbledon in London.

“I’ve watched matches myself in Wimbledon in the past,” said the Chief Executive, who studied in UK’s University of Oxford after attending secondary school at West Sussex.  “Wimbledon is the highest in prestige of all tennis tournaments in the world.”

In her turn at the rostrum, Eala said she always carried the Filipino spirit in her matches abroad.

“I always carry the Philippine flag wherever I compete,” she said, earning hearty applause.  “Ipinagmamalaki ko po na ako’y Pilipino.”

Wimbledon was Eala’s last tournament, where she became the first Filipino—male or female—to reach the fourth round of the third of four Grand Slams held yearly.

Eala punctuated her incredible winning streak by eliminating defending Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, a feat that gave her a 2-1, win-loss edge in her head-to-head duel with the five-time Slam winner.

Before that, Eala immersed herself in a torrid campaign on grass courts in Europe in preparation for the grass-surfaced Wimbledon event in England.

Along the way, Eala, who turned 21 on May 23, won the Birmingham Open last month in the UK, her second WTA title after winning the Guadalajara Open in Mexico last year.

Pundits favored Eala to defeat Italian Jasmine Paolini in their Round of 16 match at Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

But when Eala showed up with a heavily-bandaged right thigh, and with her swinging left arm also thickly wrapped in white sheet, I knew at once she was to play hurting.  Wounded.

Her strokes visibly dulled. 

Her footwork slowed down.     

Her serve sting-less.

Still, she fought on unbowed and was a gallant loser in three sets 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to Paolini, who was ousted by Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine two days later in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Eala is enjoying her much-needed break here, unselfishly holding meet-and-greet sessions with fans, signing autographs, before plunging back to action en route to joining the US Open, the year’s last Slam set from Aug. 25 to Sept. 13 in Flushing Meadows, New York.

Enjoy your much-needed furlough, Alex.

THAT’S IT   As expected, Italian world No. 1 Jannik Sinner defeated German Alexander Zverev 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 to retain the men’s Wimbledon crown on Monday.  But for reaching the final on his 10th try, Zverev, the reigning French Open champion, climbed to No. 2 for the first time from No. 3, dislodging the injured (wrist) Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who dropped to No. 3.  In women’s play, Linda Noskova beat Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in a dramatic All-Czech final that saw the 21-year-old Noskova blow away five match points in the second set before regaining her poise in the deciding third set to salvage her first Slam triumph.