Alex Eala opens up about managing finances, work-life balance amid tennis rise

It is no secret that Alex Eala's meteoric rise in professional tennis has also brought significant financial rewards to the Filipina star.

But amid all the success, Eala is learning to navigate an equally important challenge: managing her finances wisely while maintaining a healthy balance between her career and personal life.

The 21-year-old recently received the biggest paycheck of her career after reaching the Round of 16 at Wimbledon, a run that earned her £300,000.

That comes on top of her earnings from other WTA events, including the WTA 125 Birmingham Open, where she captured the title to kick off what turned into a stellar grass-court campaign.

At her age and with that level of earnings, it would be easy to embrace a lavish lifestyle.

However, rather than getting swept up in the luxuries that often accompany success, the young star is focused on making smart financial decisions that will benefit her long after her playing career ends.

"My first big investment in general, not just with my earnings from Wimbledon but my earnings in general, I invest in my future. I save a lot of money," Eala said in a press conference on Tuesday.

"I like to be cautious with my money. I’m still so young so I’m so lucky and blessed to be under the guidance of my parents and my family at BPI to learn to manage that well."

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BPI is one of Eala's sponsors.

That doesn't mean, however, that she avoids spending altogether.

Eala admitted she occasionally splurges, but mostly on expenses that help her perform at her best—from physiotherapy and recovery sessions to nutrition, supplements, and even business-class flights for long-haul trips to tournaments.

"I love to save when it comes to certain things. So, when it comes to, for example, luxury items, I save and I make smart decisions before I buy something, a luxury item," she added.

Beyond these financial investments, Eala also values something money cannot buy. She shared that she is learning to build a life outside tennis by nurturing friendships on tour and exploring new hobbies.

"Yes I have a life outside of tennis. It’s something I put effort into nurturing because a lot of the times, especially when I travel for my job, sometimes your career can become your whole life and your work-life balance can be off-balanced," Eala added.

"But one of my goals that I had at the start of the year is to make more friends on tour. I’ve started to read. It’s difficult to have hobbies. I think it’s still a process for me, a process of getting to know myself and learning what I want."

—JKC, GMA News