Roddick se joint à la 'Ealamania': "Il crée un mouvement au sein du tennis qui n'existait pas il y a quelques années"

Alexandra Eala could be a breath of fresh air in a WTA circuit lacking references and prominent figures. Apart from the charismatic Aryna Sabalenka and the return of the queen Serena Williams, women's tennis has not managed to attract more fans. However, the emergence of the Filipina has caused a sensation in her country, and her performance at Wimbledon 2026 has made her phenomenon go beyond borders.

Defeating the defending champion and former world number one Iga Swiatek once again marked a turning point in the young tennis player's career. Her victory over the Pole a year earlier at the Miami Open brought her recognition in the tennis world. In fact, she has the support of a tennis legend like Andy Roddick, US Open champion and former world number one, who did not hesitate to praise her and the movement that has emerged around her in statements on his podcast, Served.

Alex Eala receiving beautiful words from the President of the Philippines

“You’ve brought such pride to the Philippines. Not only because of your success, but the grace with which you handle that success. You show the greatest qualities of Filipinos” 🇵🇭🥹 pic.twitter.com/FObGBUwSq2

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 13, 2026

Andy Roddick declares himself a big fan of Alexandra Eala

"Ealamania is fun. Sorry, but when they organize parties to watch a fourth-round match in stadiums all over the country, count me in," the American pointed out, referring to the excitement generated in the Philippines with her performance at Wimbledon. "Imagine, where you live, whatever the largest venue nearby is, organizing parties to watch a fourth-round match at Wimbledon with no space":

Roddick took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of a figure like Eala appearing in this sport: "It's great for tennis. I don't want to hear nonsense like 'oh well, stop talking'. No, this is a movement. She is creating, on her own, a movement within a sector of tennis fandom that practically didn't exist a couple of years ago. And we have to be grateful for that."

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He concluded with a nice endorsement for the Filipina: “It was a fun story when she rose to fame in Miami. We wanted more of that. She's in the top 30 now, beating players in important tournaments. It went from being a fun anecdote to a very real story and a phenomenon, and we should all take advantage of it, enjoy it, love it, celebrate it, and be thankful for it. She, on her own, is attracting more tennis fans in a very committed and passionate way. It's a real boost”.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Roddick se suma a la ‘Ealamania’: "Está creando un movimiento dentro del tenis que no existía hace unos años"