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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 11) – When Philippine tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala was asked about the possibility of living a life on the courts as a professional tennis athlete, she had only one clear answer: “I would love for this to be my career”.
“This has been my dream since I was young. I don’t see myself doing anything else. I love the lifestyle of an athlete and I have been working very hard to achieve it, so I hope to be successful in my career, ”said the young Filipino tennis star, beaming after making headlines recently for finishing in the Junior Championship semi-finals de France 2020 Open.
Alex, however, has another feat up her sleeve: winning the Australian Open women’s doubles title earlier this year with fellow Indonesian Priska Nugroho.
Now back in Spain after his historic feat in France, he spoke with Filipino sports journalists at an online press conference about the lessons he learned and the hopes he has for the future.
Post-Grand Slam meeting
Eala said goodbye to Jacquemot, 3-6, 2-6, in the semifinals that were played on Friday night (Philippine time) in Paris. Jacquemot eventually became the 2020 French Open women’s singles champion, after beating Russia’s Alina Charaeva in the final.
“She (Jacquemot) has a very strong serve and is very aggressive,” Alex said.
Before the French Open, Eala admits that she had only joined a couple of tournaments, one in early March and another a few weeks before Roland-Garros.
“I was a little nervous going into the tournament because I hadn’t played enough, but that didn’t affect my game,” she said.
He also described how the experience shaped his confidence level to make his game rise through the ranks, saying. “For me it was important to enter each game with confidence. Even in the first game I think I was down, 0-4, but I was able to compose myself. After that, it just kept coming and going and coming. “
Eala also says that the tournament showed his need to strengthen certain aspects of his game, specifically his serve, which he admits, he’s trying to improve for “a very, very long time.”
“It’s more technical and a lot more focus and consistency when it comes to my serve,” he said.
Impact of the coronavirus on training and play
Eala’s 2020 French Open feat came in the immediate aftermath of a global coronavirus pandemic. She and her team of coaches needed to make major adjustments for her to stay true to her form.
“A lot of us were trapped here (in Spain) and we couldn’t go home, so I think it’s not just a physical fight, but also a mental fight for many of us,” says Alex. “The first few months, I remember, we couldn’t be on the court, so we were hitting the wall. We were doing everything we could to stay in shape. “
The pandemic also made his French Open experience different than usual – playing in fall rather than summer, with no fans present due to social distancing rules and regular COVID-19 testing before, during and after the tournament. .
Eala says she is used to not having fans due to her experience playing tournaments that are not as well known as the French Open.
Learning from the best in the world
After spending three years at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Spain, Eala says he was able to learn a lot about life on and off the pitch, factors that contributed to his career success.
“You learn discipline, you learn to be away from your family, to be independent, and of course you have to work hard and you have to be self-demanding,” says Alex.
She adds: “All of that will eventually lead to the weeks that will matter the most, which are tournaments and I think you develop a lot as a person here. You’re surrounded by a lot of great people, great coaches, great staff, so it’s a really good environment to grow up. “
He also shared his experiences watching ATP World # 2 workout at the facility that bears his name, and praised the 34-year-old Nadal’s motivation and intensity.
“There is always a lot of advice that you can get from Rafa’s training, even if you are just watching and even if you are not talking to him or anything. When you’re watching him play, you can learn a lot, ”says Alex.
Whats Next?
Eala says that she and she are still planning additional tournaments that she can be a part of.
“I really want to compete more at a higher level. But with COVID and everything, it’s a bit complicated to plan, so from now on I’m just training and doing the best I can with what I have and I think my next tournaments will be professional, but we’ll have to see, wait and see ” says Alex.
Young netter Pinay also says she is aware of her newfound fame. Putting a face on Filipino tennis, he says, “The best I can do right now is try to be the best example I can. I try to have a good attitude on the court and I try to show that I am passionate about the sport, and I hope they can take that away from my performance ”.
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