Alex Eala says Spain residence card makes travel easier, but PH is still home

Alex Eala has been carrying the Philippine flag wherever her tennis tour takes her, but she is primarily based in Mallorca, Spain, where she trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy.

At Tuesday's media homecoming event in Makati City, the Filipina tennis ace revealed that she has a Spanish residence card, allowing her to travel to different countries for tournaments.

"I live in Spain now, so I have a residence card, and that makes it a little easier," she told GMA News Online.

Speaking about traveling on tour, Alex said that "it just takes a lot of planning."

"But I'm grateful I have my parents who help me plan for that," she said.

The 21-year-old tennis star also expressed her desire to come home to the Philippines more often, as long as her schedule permits.

"I need to come home more often because the situation becomes different and changes every time I come home, but in a good way," she said.

"I'm super grateful for everything that I'm able to experience, and every time I go home, I'm very happy," she added.

Before arriving in the country on Sunday, Alex took a short detour to Stockholm, Sweden to catch Bad Bunny's concert and described the experience as "incredible."

"I had so much fun," she said. "I was there with my friends, and it was an amazing way for me to disconnect."

The Wimbledon tournament marked the end of Alex's impressive grass-court season, during which she captured the WTA 125 title in Birmingham and reached the semifinals of the Berlin Tennis Open.

At Wimbledon, she became the first Filipina to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament after advancing to the Round of 16. —MGP, GMA News