Alex Eala: Making a habit of making history

Filipinos woke up on Monday, National Heroes Day, to the awesome news that our modern-day hero and tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala clinched a remarkable first-round victory at the 2025 US Open in New York.

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It was more than just a victory. It was history being made: the 20-year-old Eala became the first-ever Filipino to win a main-draw Grand Slam singles match in the Open Era, which began in 1968.

And the way she triumphed was spectacular. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, Eala clawed her way back from a 1-5 hole to stun world No. 14 Clara Tauson of Denmark with an edge-of-your-seat 13-11 tiebreak to secure the win.

In that electrifying moment, Eala collapsed to the ground and covered her face, her emotions uncontainable—in stark contrast to the nerves of steel she had shown when she was all but counted out while trailing 1-5 in the final set.

Her emotional win in the nerve-wracking three-set battle, where she earlier scored 6-3, 2-6, is the latest chapter in a narrative defined by grit and resilience. Lesser mortals would have given up after being buried in that 1-5 hole, but not Eala, whose never-say-die attitude is nothing short of awe-inspiring.