Why Alex Eala is the breakout star of the year

Filipina sensation Alexandra Eala has undoubtedly been the breakout star of the WTA Tour this year.

True, she won just one tournament – her first – but her popularity across wherever she has played has not only ensured packed stadiums, it has also seen her swing from the tennis court to haute couture. In September, the Filipino phenom sat front row alongside former Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour at New York Fashion Week’s Michael Kors and Tory Burch shows.

On the court, the left-hander enjoyed a whirlwind season, defeating several top women’s stars. She ousted defending Wimbledon title holder Iga Świątek in the third round of Wimbledon. In August, she then beat Jessica Pegula in the Washington Open to become the first Filipino player to win a WTA singles title.

Eala started this year as world No 53. She’s now ranked 15th, a career-high after she made the final at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in her last tournament of the season. How good a year she has had, is emphasised by the fact that Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, who is ranked No 10 in the world, is playing in the WTA Finals, showing how close Eala was to qualifying for the prestigious year-ending event.

“I think that the expectation rises, but so does the demand in terms of what the sport demands of you and what the level demands of you,” Eala told CNN Sports.

“I just look forward to having another season full of hardship, full of joy, and hopefully full of success,” she added.

Though her bid for her second WTA title fell short in Hong Kong, the loss in the final to American Claire Liu has done little to dim her breakout year.

"This season has changed my life, it's changed my life for the better," Eala, who finished the final with heavy strapping on her right leg, told the crowd afterwards.

Becoming emotional as she addressed her team in the stands, she said: "I'm incredibly proud of the work we've put in this year.

"We're the only ones that truly know what it took to arrive to this point in our journey.

"This is only the beginning."

Following her title-win, Liu said, “I can’t speak for everyone, but playing against Alex is one of the hardest things because of the crowd. No matter where she goes, she always has so many supporters, which I think is really great in general for tennis,”.

Besides the thousands who turn up wherever she plays, Eala has also encouraged girls and young women who look up to her “to pursue whatever makes them happy.”

“I think it’s better to go through the hardships doing what you love, and you can always come back to that when things get difficult,” Eala told CNN Sports.

While Eala’s stature in the sport grows, what remains the same is the standard of discipline she sets for herself.

“I’ve learned to push my limits,” Eala said. “I’ve learned a lot about what my limits are … and the bar can always be raised.”