As Alex Eala continues to rise in the tennis world, fans aren’t just paying attention to her; even her idols, such as Maria Sharapova, are. The tennis icon was once one of the most famous and successful female tennis players in the world and inspired a generation, one of those being Alex Eala, who considers Sharapova as one of her tennis idols. The two met once before when Eala was just a kid, but they finally had a proper conversation when Eala was a guest on Sharapova’s Pretty Tough podcast, a moment Eala and Sharapova were both looking forward to.
The fact that Eala got interviewed by one of her role models is a flex in itself, but their conversation also led to an insightful discussion between a woman who knows what it’s like to be at the center of the tennis world and another woman who is currently experiencing it. Below are some of the interview highlights between Sharapova and Eala.
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She Learned Grit Through Watching Sharapova’s Matches
Watch enough professional tennis, and you’ll know that it can often be an intense sport. Understandably, many athletes let their frustrations and emotions out through their facial expressions and grunts. The same can be said for Eala, who shared during the interview that watching Sharapova’s matches as a kid, and particularly her facial expressions, helped form her concept of grit. “You always had this expression on your face that was so serious and almost angry. And when you would adjust your strings and hit yourself, for me that’s grit. And when you say ‘Come on’ so intentionally, I really admire that.”
Over the years, Eala learned to hone her facial expressions on the court, especially in how they tie to her performance during the match. “I am aware that when my expression falls, I would just fall. The thing that’s difficult is when you’re aware of it…and I try to get out of this state, and I don’t feel like I’m getting out of it, is when I really have to fight,” Eala said. During the moments where nothing is seemingly going right, Eala reminds herself to keep it together so she doesn’t let it affect her game.
As she puts it, “And nothing’s working and you’re just like ‘I’ve tried all these things and I’m still in this state where things aren’t going my way.’ And then that’s when the facial expressions start to quiver…and you have to hold it together, not to mention you’re doing it in front of thousands of people.”
She Found Joy in What She Does Through Suffering on the Court
When Sharapova asked Eala how she finds joy and enjoyment in what she does, the Gen Z tennis player gave a surprising answer. “I think one thing that I’ve learned in the past couple of months about myself is my capacity to suffer, and be in those situations where you’re uncomfortable and you’re out of breath and you’re nervous.”
She explained that it’s during those difficult moments where she finds that extra spark to do better on the court. “Recently, I’ve been almost looking forward to those moments where I’m out of breath or those moments where I’m really nervous. And I’ve learned to enjoy facing them head-on.” It might seem like an odd response from Eala, but it gives a peek into the mind of an athlete who doesn’t run away from challenges, but instead welcomes them as an opportunity to improve, knowing that she’s overcome worse odds before.
She Spent Over a Month Looking for the Perfect Outfit to Meet Anna Wintour
Beyond the tennis court, Alex Eala has proven herself to be quite the fashion girl, from appearances at Calvin Klein during New York Fashion Week to Chanel at Paris Fashion Week. And as she embraces her inner fashion girl, Eala has also started to rub shoulders with industry greats, most notably Anna Wintour. “I was very nervous,” she told Sharapova on meeting Wintour for the first time. “She is one of those people who has such a presence, an aura. And you know how much she’s done for women, for fashion, and the impact that she has.”
As such, when Eala learned that she was going to meet Anna Wintour at Condé Nast’s NYC offices, she took it seriously. “As soon as I found out, I scoured the whole internet.” She ultimately found an outfit, including adding a Filipino designer to her ensembleEnsembleA complete, coordinated outfit in which each garment and accessory is chosen to work together as one look. Stylists build ensembles around a theme, color story, or occasion, and theGo to Ensemble Glossary. “I wore these pants that were embellished to the nines—purple,” she said, referring to the statement trousers by Carlene Zervoulakos, adding that she got a lot of compliments for it. “And this very simple white top with a tie [detail].”
It seems Eala made a good first impression, as she met Wintour again during New York Fashion Week, while the former Vogue US Editor-in-Chief has said good things about Eala, calling her “the young Filipino star” during an interview at the US Open.
She Has a Healthy Relationship With Public Attention
Over the past year, Alex Eala has seen an explosion in popularity that most would consider overwhelming. But even if all the attention comes with expectations to meet, Eala doesn’t let the outside chatter phase her. In fact, she puts a barrier between her and public opinion. “My relationship with public opinion, I think, is quite healthy and it’s very fleeting,” she said. “I’m able to detach quite well, and I’m very convinced with my own opinions, and I trust my team a lot.”
What’s more important for Eala are her own opinions and those of her team, and she made it clear that she does not surround herself with yes men. She welcomes brutally honest opinions from her team, because she values honesty as a way to build her mental fortitude in a sport that can be brutal on one’s psyche. “If you’re not honest with yourself, you cannot handle the mental aspect of tennis.”
She Understands Her Platform as a Filipino Role Model
To many Filipinos, Alex Eala is not just a world-class tennis player, but a symbol of Pinoy pride. Eala herself has stated that she carries the Philippines with her in what she does, and during the podcast interview, she expounded more on being a role model for Filipinos.
When asked about the support she gets from the Philippines, Eala said that she knows that they aren’t just looking to her as an athlete, but as one of them making history for the country. “One thing about this whole journey of support that I’ve been getting is I understand the weight of the representation holds, and I know that there’s a big audience that looks up to me.”
Eala added that this responsibility pushes her to look inward to be the best version she can be of herself and be a good example for people who look up to her. “I try to do my best and represent my culture and these people the way they deserve to be represented. What I learned is that when there’s that much people involved, my experiences become a lot more emotional because of the pressure, because I know how bad I want it, because I know what I represent.”
Truly, every Alex Eala match, even if it’s just the first round, feels like a big deal for many Filipinos who take every win as something worth celebrating. It can be a lot to take in, but the young athlete chooses to redirect that energy into something positive.
Featured Image: PRETTY TOUGH (via Instagram)
Photos: ALEX EALA (via Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions
Alex Eala told Maria Sharapova that watching her matches as a child shaped her understanding of grit, citing Sharapova’s serious expression, her string adjustments, and the intentional way she said “Come on.” The two had met once before Eala’s guest appearance.
Alex Eala says she stays aware of her facial expressions because her game can fall when her expression does. When nothing is working, she tries to hold it together in front of thousands of people, and she has learned to welcome nerves and breathlessness as moments to face head-on.
Alex Eala wore purple embellished trousers by Filipino designer Carlene Zervoulakos with a simple white top featuring a tie detail to meet Anna Wintour at Condé Nast’s New York offices. She said the outfit drew many compliments, and the two met again during New York Fashion Week.
Alex Eala says she understands the weight of representation and knows a large audience looks up to her. She aims to represent Filipino culture and its people the way they deserve, and she acknowledges that the pressure makes her experiences more emotional because of how much she wants to succeed.
Pretty Tough is a podcast hosted by Maria Sharapova, the former tennis star who inspired Alex Eala as a child. Eala appeared as a guest and discussed grit, finding joy in competition, her fashion encounters, handling public opinion, and representing the Philippines.
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