The last few months have been something of a whirlwind for Alex Eala, who had already enjoyed a successful but brutally busy year of action.
Her schedule has hardly improved since the US Open either, rushing from New York to Singapore, losing in the opening round, before then heading over to Nagoya in Japan.
Most of her peers on the WTA Tour were preparing to compete in the WTA 1000 event at the China Open, but Alexandra Eala had other plans.
She had chosen to snub this mandatory tournament in favour of representing the Philippines at the Asian Games.
Eala was threatened with a WTA sanction for this decision, but remains unpunished as of yet.
For taking such a huge risk and putting her country first, above all else, the 21-year-old has now been publicly thanked.
Alex Eala praised for snubbing the WTA Tour to play the Asian Games
In a statement released by John Rey Tiangco, the secretary general of the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA), he was deeply grateful to Eala for making such a brave choice.
This comes not long after he also revealed that the Philippines would be getting a 250-level event in the 2027 calendar, marking a huge upgrade on this year’s 125 competition forced into the second week of the Australian Open.
It’s hard not to put this rapid growth down to Eala, whose career he heralded at first: “Alex Eala has already achieved what many once thought impossible.
“She has single-handedly put the Philippines on the world tennis map. Today, conversations about world tennis include Alex Eala and the Philippines. That alone is a remarkable achievement.
“Her rise to world No 18, her WTA title, and her victories over some of the world’s best players are milestones that have changed the landscape of Philippine tennis.”
Then, referencing her Asian Games decision, Tiangco added: “We are equally grateful for her decision to represent our country at the Asian Games, putting the Philippine flag ahead of other opportunities.”
He finished with some kind words about the legacy she has already forged at such a young age: “Alex has already won something bigger than any single tournament. She has inspired a nation and opened doors for the next generation of Filipino tennis players.
“We at PHILTA are immensely proud of Alex, grateful for everything she has done for Philippine tennis, and fully behind her as she continues to make history.”
In the end, Eala seems to have escaped punishment from the WTA.
However, her form has waned dramatically of late, with her bronze medal at the Asian Games admirable but still an underperformance given she was the highest-ranked player there by some margin.
She has since returned to WTA Tour action, losing another opening-round match, this time to Han Shi, who was ranked 217th in the world.