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Singapore PM Wong praises Alex Eala for Wimbledon milestone
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has congratulated the Philippines and Filipino tennis star Alex Eala for her historic stint at Wimbledon, Malacañang said Thursday.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said Eala became a topic in the bilateral discussion between President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Wong on Wednesday.
"Binati rin ng prime minister ang Pilipinas at si Filipino tennis superstar Alex Eala sa pag-ukit ng kasaysayan sa Wimbledon," Castro said in a Palace briefing.
(The prime minister also congratulated the Philippines and Filipino tennis superstar Alex Eala for making history at Wimbledon.)
She said both leaders expressed admiration for the success Eala has brought to Southeast Asia.
"Tiwala ang Prime Minister na si Alex Eala ang magiging kauna-unahang Southeast Asian na mag-uuwi ng grand slam title sa Wimbledon—bagay na sinang-ayunan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr.," she added.
(The Prime Minister expressed confidence that Alex Eala will be the first Southeast Asian to bring home a Grand Slam title from Wimbledon—a sentiment shared by President Marcos Jr.)
Eala is expected to play in the Singapore Open on Sept. 21 to 27 this year, after the tournament was elevated to WTA 500 status.
She previously competed in Singapore as a junior.
In a statement released by the Singapore Open, Eala said, "Singapore has a really special place in my heart and I still remember competing there at the WTA Future Stars as a junior player."
"I have always enjoyed playing in Singapore because it's so close to home and it's great to have a WTA 500 event in Southeast Asia! I'm looking forward to enjoying a great week at the Singapore Tennis Open," Eala said.
Meanwhile, Castro said that Wong congratulated Marcos on the Philippines' elevation to an upper middle-income country status.
"Ayon sa prime minister, maituturing na respectable growth o matatag na pag-unlad ng Pilipinas ang pagiging upper middle income country sa likod ng mga pagsubok dulot ng kaguluhan sa Middle East," she said.
(According to the prime minister, the country's achievement of this status despite the challenges posed by the Middle East conflict reflects the country's respectable growth.)
The Palace official also noted that Marcos' working visit to Singapore was "successful and productive."
She also affirmed that the President will bring with him various investments in healthcare and digital infrastructure sectors once he returns to the Philippines on Thursday night.
She said that Marcos and Wong discussed expanding trade, using artificial intelligence, attracting more investors to the Philippines, and fostering cooperation in health and social development.
The two leaders are also pushing for new bilateral agreements that will contribute to the growth of the Philippines and Singapore.
Castro said the leaders also agreed on maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity among Southeast Asian nations. — VDV, GMA News
