Alexandra Eala Makes History at French Open Doubles

PARIS, France — Alexandra Eala, a young tennis player from the Philippines, made history at the French Open by becoming the first Filipino woman to win a Grand Slam main draw match. Eala, 20, paired with Mexican player Renata Zarazua, 27, to achieve this historic doubles victory on Tuesday, defeating Emily Appleton from Britain and Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers from Spain with a score of 7-5, 6-4.

“It’s so heartwarming,” Eala told AFP after the match. She expressed relief and joy at bouncing back after her earlier singles loss to Colombia’s Emiliana Arango, where she fell short with scores of 0-6, 6-2, 6-3. “Of course, it’s always good to come back and compete well after a singles loss, especially after a tight one.”

The victory marks a significant achievement for Philippine tennis. Eala, who has trained at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca since she was 13, alluded to the challenges she faced. “I’m feeling good, it’s my debut in Grand Slam doubles, so I’m happy to be playing with Renata and to have my first Slam win,” she said.

Despite the difficulties she encountered in singles, Eala maintained a positive outlook. “First time kami mag-partner dito pero magkaibigan naman kami nang matagal (This is our first time partnering here, but we’ve been friends for a long time),” she explained. “We have good chemistry on the court. All the time smiling. Good vibes.”

Now, Eala and Zarazua prepare for their next match against Serbia’s Olga Danilovic and Russia’s Anastasia Potapova, who are known for their strong performance on clay. “I haven’t looked at the draw yet, but I’m just happy to be there,” Eala stated. “I think I focus on recovering right now.”

Eala is currently ranked No. 73 in the world and is recognized as a rising star in Philippine sports. She captured the 2022 US Open girls’ singles title and reached the semifinals at the Miami Open earlier in the year, defeating three Grand Slam champions, including world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

“I think we’re entering a new era for Filipino sport,” Eala remarked, also mentioning fellow Filipino athlete Carlos Yulo, an Olympic gold medalist. “Filipinos are very talented and very hard workers. There’s a support, a community… every time someone does good we’re very happy for them.”

As she continues her journey at Roland Garros, Eala remains focused yet optimistic. “They’re happy to see a Filipino competing in the main draw in Paris,” she concluded.