Tennis star Alex Eala reflects on how life turned ‘crazy’ after Miami

Dubai: Alex Eala isn’t carrying the weight of expectations into her biggest Grand Slam moment yet. Instead, the 20-year-old Filipino tennis star is choosing to soak in the experience as she prepares to make her US Open main draw debut later this month in New York.

Eala, ranked No 56 in the world, has earned direct entry into the women’s singles draw of the US Open, scheduled from August 24 to September 7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. She becomes the first Filipina to feature in the tournament’s main draw — three years after winning the junior title at the same venue.

“There’s no pressure for me because I’m still young and it’s still a new experience for me,” she said during a meet-and-greet while enjoying a short break in Manila, media reported. “I just have to enjoy it. I have to take advantage of that.”

Her relaxed mindset comes in the midst of a breakout season that has seen her rise from outside the top 100 to a career-high No 56 in the WTA rankings. She has enjoyed success on hard courts all year, including a run to the fourth round in Miami and her first WTA final at Eastbourne on grass.

“I was talking to one of my coaches about how crazy things changed before and after Miami. Suddenly, more doors opened, more attention. But everything I’m doing is still the same — our routines, the people around me,” she said.

“I realised… when you’re doing bad, it’s not as bad as you think. And when you’re doing good, it’s also not as good as you think. It’s never too bad or too good — it just depends.”

“There’s still so much for me to achieve,” she said. “Of course, I want my first Grand Slam main draw win. But right now, I just want to enjoy playing on this stage.”

From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai. Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder - breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world. Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism. Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.

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