Alex Eala’s tennis phenomenon is growing and changing the sport — everywhere she goes

Alex Eala, the 21-year-old Filipino tennis player, defeated Alycia Parks 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 at the Canadian Open in Toronto, drawing a sell-out crowd of over 10,000 fans waving Philippine flags. Her rise has been meteoric in recent weeks, including a fourth-round run at Wimbledon where she beat defending champion Iga Świątek, followed by her first WTA Tour title at the D.C. Open in Washington. Eala has become a cultural phenomenon, attracting large Filipino diaspora crowds at tournaments around the world.