Alex Eala among Time's 2026 World's Most Influential Rising Stars, Nadal talks about Filipina star

Alexandra “Alex” Eala is among Time Magazine’s “TIME100 Next 2026: The World’s Most Influential Rising Stars.”

Categorized under “Innovators,” Eala’s profile was written by her mentor and tennis icon Rafael Nadal.

“Alexandra Eala was the first player I shared a tennis court with after my retirement. One day, she asked whether I felt like hitting with her for a while. For the first time in many months, I picked up a racket and played again,” Nadal recalled.

The tennis legend also talked about Eala’s journey at the Rafa Nadal Academy and the achievements the current WTA No. 18 has had.

“At just 19, Alex beat three Grand Slam champion players at the 2025 Miami Open. This year, she won the WTA 500 tournament, becoming the first player from the Philippines to break into the world’s top 20,” Nadal wrote.

“And she still has plenty of room to grow. One of her greatest strengths is precisely her ability to listen, learn, and keep improving.”

For Nadal, however, the most important thing about Eala is her attitude.

“But perhaps more importantly, Alex remains a wonderful person—warm, approachable, and humble. It isn’t easy to handle becoming a true phenomenon at such a young age, and she deserves a lot of credit for keeping her feet on the ground. Now, all that remains is to keep enjoying watching her progress.”

Eala is currently competing at the 2026 Asian Games, where she has assured the Philippines of at least a bronze medal after advancing to the semifinals.

Among the other names included in the list are Sombr, Tyrese Maxey, and Troye Sivan, among others.

—JKC, GMA News