Alexandra Eala returned to the Miami Open, the opening scene of an origin story of a box office smash. She’s a global phenomenon who could transcend sports in a way tennis hasn’t seen since Li Na.
Eala defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 to the delight of roaring fans in Hard Rock Stadium, the ideal setting for a rockstar, the heroine in the Alexandra Eala Effect.
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The Alexandra Eala Effect began with a fairytale run to the semifinals at the 2025 Miami Open, and grew as she ascended the rankings. Her fans follow her everywhere and chronicle her journey as if it were their own.
She is one of a handful of rising female tennis stars 20 or younger, including Victoria Mboko, Iva Jokic, and Mirra Andreeva. However, Eala’s story resonates beyond the tennis courts. Her success is more than athletic; it’s symbolic, social and marketable. Like Li, Eala is transforming who watches and plays the game.
“I don’t like really comparing. All of them are unique. But I would say it’s a little bit crazy what is happening with Alex, because she’s, in theory, from a small tennis country,” said Jean-Christophe Verborg, Global Sports Marketing Director for Babolat, the racket sponsor for Li and Eala.
Babolat is best known as the racket used by Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Eala is the most visible female player using Babolat since Li, the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam.
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“I would say it’s the energy she has, the smile, because for sure, she’s from a small country, so she doesn’t have all the lights on her,” Verbog said. “I mean, she didn’t have before, and suddenly, with what happened even, I mean, it’s really started for me in Miami last year, one year ago, when she got the wildcard, and every single tournament she’s playing, it’s crazy how many people around are watching her.”
Li Na’s Blueprint For Barrier-Breaking Marketability
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 26: Na Li of China poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at Brighton Beach, after winning the 2014 Australian Open, on January 26, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
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Li won the 2011 French Open. More than 116 million people in China watched that French Open Final. Those are NFL Super Bowl numbers. She won the 2014 Australian Open title, which made her a global icon.
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The endorsement deals exploded: Samsung, Mercedes, Nike. In 2014, Li Na raked in $24 million and was No. 2 on the Forbes highest-paid female athletes list, second only to Maria Sharapova. The WTA expanded its footprint in China, adding more tournaments.
In 2017, Nike leveraged Li’s authenticity and likability to launch the Li Na Collection, a clothing line.
Li inspired future Chinese tennis stars. During the 2023 U.S. Open, Zheng Qinwen spoke with WTA Senior Writer Greg Gaber about watching Li win the French Open.
“In that moment I start to think, ‘Oh, as an Asian, we are also able to win a Grand Slam at a big stage like that.’ Before that, tennis isn’t so popular in China. I mean, my parents didn’t know what is tennis before I start to play. That’s true,” Zheng Qinwen.
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Li’s biggest impact has been on the expansion of tournaments in Asia. Earlier this year, Eala was on hand for the first Philippine Women’s Open, held in Manila.
“I would say it’s the energy she has, the smile, because for sure, she’s from a small country, so she doesn’t have all the lights on her,” Verbog said. “I mean, she didn’t have before, and suddenly, with what happened even, I mean, it’s really started for me in Miami last year, one year ago, when she got the wildcard, and every single tournament she’s playing, it’s crazy how many people around are watching her.”
Alex Eala’s Journey From Mallorca To Miami
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 26: Alexandra Eala of the Philippines reacts to defeating Iga Swiatek of Poland in the quarter-final on Day 9 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
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Eala was born in Quezon City, Philippines. She moved to Mallorca to train at the Rafael Nadal Academy. By 13, she was competing in junior Grand Slam tournaments.
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Eala debuted on the ITF circuit in 2020, at age 14. She played her first WTA Tour-level match in qualifying in Miami in 2021. She lost in the to Viktoria Kuzmova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Last year, Eala received a wildcard to the main draw of the Miami Open, despite being ranked No. 140. She upset Elena Ostapenko in the second round. In the third round, she upset 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys. That’s when people took notice. She got a walkover against Paula Badosa. Then Eala upset No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek.
After defeating Swiatek, Eala spoke with reporters about being the first tennis star from the Philippines.
“I think that tennis in the Philippines has so much potential, because even though it’s not as widespread as other sports, I feel that we have a lot of hidden talent, and if we can have the support to back it up and the exposure to back it up, then I think that Philippine tennis can be a big thing,” Eala said.
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Eala’s Cinderella story was one of the biggest things to come out of that tournament.
“I think people love an underdog. And so whether it’s in sports or politics or anywhere, a young person you know from a country that doesn’t have a history of tennis winning, or even tennis playing, or even tennis audiences, all those things that makes for interesting story,” said Cristel Antonia Russell, Professor of Marketing at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, in an interview with Forbes.com.
Alex Eala’s Potential To Transcend Boundaries
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – FEBRUARY 04: Alexandra Eala of the Philippines poses while celebrating victory over Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round during day four of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, part of the Hologic WTA Tour, at Zayed Sports City on February 04, 2026 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Getty Images)
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The social significance of the first major Southeast Asian woman tennis star can be measured in decibels.
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“Tennis is becoming more and more globalized, in a way that you have more and more emerging countries, players from emerging countries showing up. I mean, from Africa, from the Philippines, Asia,” said Fabien Paget, CEO and Co-Founder at 17 Sport, a sports marketing agency. “Tennis is not just about Europe or the US like it used to be. The top 100 is made of many, many nationalities, much more nationalities than used to be and I think it’s good for tennis.”
Similar to college football fan bases such as Alabama or Ohio State, Eala’s fans travel well. They packed stadiums in Dubai and Doha. In Miami, Eala played her opening match on the Stadium court. Meanwhile, South Florida resident and seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams’ match was on the smaller Grand Stand. That’s the Alexandra Eala Effect.
“We know the power of sports to really inspire, embark people and bring people together. So I think what’s happening around her is very interesting for the country, because I’m sure there are many, many young girls, even boys, that are thinking that they can make it,” said Paget. “And you need those role models, and whatever the sport is — tennis or soccer — whatever you need role models to believe that it’s possible. What’s happening around her, will definitely have a huge long term legacy in the country.”
Eala has endorsement deals with Globe Telecom, Babolat, Nike, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands. She’s been featured in Vogue Philippines and Tatler Philippines.
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“The pride, the Filipino pride, that also comes around. This is genuine. You can’t fake this. There’s so much of a desire these days for genuine, authentic feelings of pride and of athleticism that people pay attention and she represents so many of those things,” said Russell. “Companies, especially like Nike, which have lost their edge lately because of a lot of the competitor brands that are themselves, the underdog. . So Nike is losing its edge because they’ve been endorsing the big athletes. So for that kind of brand to consider endorsing underdogs, it’s a win win for them.”
Alex Eala’s Challenges And Opportunities Ahead
TOPSHOT – Alexandra Eala, Philippine’s trailblazer and 49th-ranked in WTA tennis, arrives for a press conference in Manila on January 24, 2026, ahead of the Philippines Open-WTA 125 on January 26. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP via Getty Images)
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The challenge for Eala is sustaining enthusiasm while meeting expectations. Although barrier breakers garner more grace than most athletes, there is still pressure to perform.
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Tennis is a sport where legacies are measured by Grand Slam titles. She’s never advanced beyond the second round at a Grand Slam. Her ranking could falter to outside the Top 40 if she loses in the third round. But it will take more than a single setback to squash Eala’s global appeal.
“The world is becoming a smaller and more diverse place. So then people across the world pay attention to even countries that maybe in the past we weren’t paying attention,” said Russell. “So there’s probably potential for her fame to expand beyond the Philippines. . .You could think about skin care, you can think about hair care, you can think about, you know, any kind of beauty products that ultimately all these athletes opens up.”
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 26: Arthur Fils of France celebrates his victory over Alexander Zverev of Germany in the quarter finals of the men’s quarter finals at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Frey/TPN/Getty Images)
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Although Eala has a ways to go before reaching Li level success on or off the courts, she continues to break barriers. Last year, she won the Guadalajara 125 Open. Every tournament win is a first for the Phillipines.
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In an interview with Philippines network ABS-CBN, New York Times tennis writer Matthew Futterman shared how difficult the path is for barrier breakers.
“The idea that someone from the Philippines could reach this level, you know, that’s a level of belief that she needed to instill in herself, that if you grew up in America or France or one of the other Grand Slam countries or Spain, you don’t have to make that mental leap,” said Futterman. “I don’t think you can overestimate the difficulty of that task and she has not only accomplished it, but she’s embraced it, and she’s, I think, used it as sort of one of her superpowers.”
