Eala's philosophy after winning her first title: "I don't obsess over the ranking"

Days of high adrenaline are being experienced by Alexandra Eala after signing a memorable experience in Washington. After making her debut as a professional tennis player, the Filipino is already thinking about the challenge she will face this week.

And that challenge is called WTA 1000 in Toronto, where she will soon face Alycia Parks in her first match. With this match already in mind, the local press had the opportunity to spend time with Alexandra Eala and ask her about the joy she experienced in Washington, the pressure of being a role model for her country, and the importance of the Rafa Nadal Academy in her arrival on the professional circuit. A press conference that will help you get to know her a little better.

From the title in Washington to the challenge of Toronto

"The last 24 hours have been incredible for me. There have been so many emotions and a lot to process, in addition to the transition from one tournament to another. I am very excited to reset and experience playing in Toronto for the first time. What happened in Washington is still very recent. My mind has been going back and forth between thinking about the next match and telling myself, 'Did I really just do this?'. It's the first time I have experienced something like this and I am also learning to manage it. But I know that tomorrow I have another match and all my focus needs to be there. In the end, I will have my whole life to celebrate my first WTA title."

Alexandra Eala and the pressure of making history for the Philippines

"Tennis is a sport that keeps you grounded. In the end, this is my job and learning to manage everything that comes with it is part of the process. I really enjoy these environments and everything that is happening, but I still feel that I have a lot to improve. There are many aspects of my game where I want to continue progressing, and I believe that I still have a long way to go. Representing the Philippines is not a burden for me, but an honor. I am very grateful for all the love and recognition I am receiving. It is true that, when you go through these things for the first time, they can be overwhelming, but always from a positive viewpoint. I have been playing tennis for almost my entire life and if there is one thing I know how to do, it is to compete. There will be good days and bad days, but I take pride in being professional in that sense."

The Rafa Nadal Academy, a stage that changed her career

"The academy has played a very important role in my life. I arrived there at 13 years old, after they contacted my family, and I entered with a scholarship. I have countless memories and I have learned an immense amount during all these years; it would be impossible to list them all. But if I had to choose one thing, it would be the people and the relationships I built there. The team I have now is incredible, I trust them completely, and I am very happy working together."

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Alexandra Eala and the decision not to obsess over rankings or titles

"Winning in Washington does not necessarily change my goals, but it is a reference that shows the progress I have made as a player. If I compare my current level with that of the beginning of the year, I believe I have improved a lot. I have never set rigid goals such as finishing the year in a specific ranking position or winning a specific tournament. I do not like to put limits on what I can achieve, but I also do not want to obsess over those things. My main objective is to play good matches and maintain a high level consistently. The more I achieve that, the more rewards will come, and I think this summer has been a good test of that."

A very different final and the support of the Filipino audience

"The final in Washington was quite peculiar. I think it was the first time I played a final spread over two days. Time went by pretty quickly because I managed to keep myself occupied, although I finished the first day feeling quite exhausted after so many hours of waiting. The next day I woke up normally, slept my seven or eight hours, and approached the match as if it were a new day. I was behind on the scoreboard, but that is also part of tennis. I am very happy with how I reacted. Now, I am also eager to play in Toronto because I’ve been told that there will be many Filipino fans in the stands. I am very excited to feel that atmosphere and hope to provide them with a nice experience. I hope that will also help tennis continue to grow in the Philippines."

The excitement of sharing the court with Venus Williams

"I am very excited to play doubles with Venus again. I said it last week: every opportunity to share the court with her is something I value a lot. She is an extraordinary player, has an incredible mentality, and I feel that I can still learn a lot from her. I think it will be even more special here, with all the Filipino community supporting me and with the many fans Venus has. As for the level I showed in Washington, I wouldn’t know how to explain exactly what happened. If I could always play in that state of confidence, I would. What I did notice is that the longer I was on the court, the better I felt hitting the ball. I ended up playing much better than I started the tournament, and that is the competitive state I try to maintain for as long as possible."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La filosofía de Eala tras conquistar su primer título: "No me obsesiono con el ranking"