At just 19 years old, Alexandra “Alex” Eala has once again captured the nation’s attention with her remarkable performance at the 2025 Miami Open. Entering the tournament as a wildcard ranked No. 140, Eala defied expectations by defeating three Grand Slam champions—Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Świątek—to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal. This historic run not only made her the first Filipina to achieve such a feat but also propelled her into the WTA’s Top 100 rankings, a first for any Filipino player.
Tennis: The Enduring Battle of Wits and Endurance. Tennis stands out among net sports for its unique blend of physical endurance and strategic depth. Unlike its counterparts—table tennis, badminton, and paddle ball—tennis matches can extend for hours, demanding not only physical stamina but also mental resilience. While table tennis emphasizes rapid reflexes in close quarters, badminton requires swift lateral movements, and paddle ball combines elements of tennis and squash within enclosed walls. Each sport offers its own set of challenges, but tennis’s combination of prolonged play and one-on-one competition makes it a distinctive test of character and skill.
Pioneers of Philippine Tennis. Long before Eala’s ascent, Filipino tennis players have made significant contributions to the sport:
Felicisimo “Totoy” Ampon: Known as the “David of Tennis” due to his height of 5’3″, Ampon was a formidable player in the 1950s. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 9 and reached the quarterfinals of the French Open multiple times.
Raymundo Deyro: Partnering with Ampon, Deyro was instrumental in the Philippines’ Davis Cup campaigns during the same era, showcasing the country’s competitive presence on the international stage.
Felix Barrientos: In the 1980s, Barrientos emerged as a top junior player, reaching the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Juniors in 1985. He later represented the Philippines in the Davis Cup, further elevating the nation’s tennis profile.
Eric Taino: Born in the U.S. but representing the Philippines, Taino had a successful career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, achieving a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 122 and winning a doubles title on the ATP Tour.
Marissa Sanchez: Hailing from Angeles City, Pampanga, Sanchez was a dominant force in Philippine women’s tennis during the 1970s and 1980s. She clinched both the National Tennis Open and the Philta Open in 1975, asserting her position as the country’s top female player. In the 1977 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia, Sanchez secured a silver medal in women’s singles, marking the Philippines’ first tennis medal in the SEA Games. She also represented the nation in the Federation Cup (now known as the Billie Jean King Cup), competing against some of the world’s best players. After retiring in her early 30s, Sanchez dedicated herself to coaching, nurturing young talents at the Angeles City Tennis Club and contributing to the development of future Filipino tennis stars.
Final Serve: Game, Set, Fun. Tennis, like life, is full of quirks—and a few of them are downright mysterious. So, as we close this rally of reflections, let’s serve up some fascinating trivia from the world of the sport we now view through the lens of Alex Eala’s brilliance:
Why do we hate “Love” in tennis? In tennis, “love” means zero. Nada. Walang-wala. Which is ironic, right? In every other part of life, love is something we seek, something we cherish. But in tennis, if your score is love, it means you’re starting from scratch—or worse, getting clobbered.
The term “love” is believed to have come from the French word l’œuf, meaning egg, which resembles a zero. Over time, English-speaking players misheard it or anglicized it into “love.” (Although some romantics like to say it’s because people play “for the love of the game”—but that’s probably just spin.)
What’s a “bagel” and a “breadstick”?
When a player wins a set 6–0, it’s affectionately called a “bagel” — because zero looks like a bagel. If the score is 6–1, that’s a “breadstick”, since the “1” resembles the stick. So when a player wins 6–0, 6–1, we say they “served a bagel and a breadstick” — a delicious combination for the winner, and a rough brunch for the loser.
Why do players bounce the ball before serving?
No, it’s not superstition—okay, maybe a little. Players bounce the ball to get into rhythm, control their breathing, calm their nerves, or just to stall a bit and think. Rafael Nadal, for example, has a whole pre-serve ritual longer than some TV commercials. Tennis, after all, is as much about routine as it is about reaction.
So, whether you’re a casual fan or a future court conqueror, these little slices of tennis lore remind us that even a sport built on discipline and precision has its quirks — just like life.
And with Alex Eala swinging her way into history, maybe it’s time we all looked at tennis not just as a rich man’s game, but as a rich story waiting to be played — one match, one rally, one point at a time.
Game, set, Philippines.