Alex Eala pays tribute to Manny Pacquiao, Hidilyn Diaz for inspiring Philippine sports

As her own star continues to rise on the global tennis stage, Alexandra Eala took time to recognize the Filipino athletes who inspired generations before her.

The 21-year-old tennis ace pulled off one of the biggest wins of her career, stunning world No. 3 and defending champion Iga Swiatek with a 7-6(9), 6-2 upset victory in the Wimbledon Round of 32 on Saturday night on Centre Court.

The victory—one that sent her to the Round of 16 for the first time in her Grand Slam journey—has since become a source of inspiration for Filipinos and a new generation of athletes.

That is why Eala paid homage to Filipino sports icons from both the past and the present as she carves her own name into the history books.

Among the Filipino athletes who inspired Eala growing up, none stood taller than boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, whom she described as the country's first global sporting icon after becoming the only eight-division world champion.

"Of course, the kind of national hero in sports in the Philippines is Manny Pacquiao. And I guess he is the kind of first global athletic figure from the Philippines who I can remember and associate a lot of my childhood memories with," Eala said during the post-game press conference.

"So when he would have fights, it would really, really be like holidays in the Philippines. So we would gather and we would watch his fights and and it would be like people would go off work, you know, it would it would really be an event."

"So I think he is someone super inspiring as an athlete."

In recent years, a new wave of Filipino athletes has emerged to inspire the next generation.

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz wrote her name into the history books by delivering the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold medal. Three years later, gymnast Carlos Yulo raised the bar even higher by capturing two gold medals at the Paris Olympics.

Eala also paid tribute to family friend and pole vault star EJ Obiena, a four-time Southeast Asian Games champion and the reigning Asian Games gold medalist, for continuing to elevate Philippine athletics on the world stage.

Like Eala, each of these athletes shares the same defining qualities: unwavering hard work, perseverance, and the belief that Filipinos can compete with—and beat—the world's best.

"In recent years, of course, Hidilyn Diaz, who won the first gold medal, Olympic gold medal for the Philippines, is a huge inspiration. That moment was incredible," Eala added.

"Of course, Carlos Yulo in the most recent Olympics won two gold medals. So amazing. And of course, EJ Obiena is the pole vaulter. He's a good friend of my family and he likes tennis."

"I feel like the Filipinos have such great work ethic. We are really hard workers. And when it counts, we can show up."

At just 21, Eala continues to break barriers and make history. And as her own legacy begins to take shape, she hopes to inspire the next generation of Filipino athletes just as Pacquiao, Diaz, Yulo, and Obiena inspired her.

"It's an honor to be able to pave the way for young girls and for, you know, and it would be the honor of my life to be able to inspire others," she said.

—JKC, GMA News