Eala Mania hits Singapore as Filipino star draws huge crowd

Alex Eala's popularity continues to soar, with her "Eala Mania" now drawing enormous crowds in Singapore. Just like previous cities like Washington, Toronto, and New York, the Filipino tennis star has captured the hearts of fans once again. Eala's visit began with a public Q&A session on Wednesday, held at Gate 6 of the National Stadium, hours before she was set to compete in the round of 16 at the Singapore Tennis Open against Tatiana Prozorova.

Fans of all ages began lining up well before the scheduled match, eagerly anticipating a chance to meet and converse with the star. Eala warmly greeted the crowd as she engaged in a variety of topics, from her favorite food and music to her experiences on tour. She also took the time to read messages from her fans, many of whom had previously tried but failed to see her play live. Some supporters arrived wearing Eala's blue US Open kit, demonstrating their fervent support.

The following day, after an hour of practice on Court 1, Eala joined her coach, Sandro Viaene, from the Rafa Nadal Academy. The public workout allowed fans who had remained behind to witness firsthand how the world No. 18 was preparing for her upcoming match against Prozorova. Eala was once again open to her supporters, who waited patiently with merchandise in hand, eager to receive an autograph.

When asked about the growing phenomenon surrounding Eala, Singapore Tennis Open co-tournament directors Laura Ceccarelli and Yazed Osman could only laugh. "I don't think we can ever be ready," Ceccarelli remarked. "It's a surprise every day. You hear more and more." Osman echoed this sentiment, welcoming the growing support from the Filipino community.

"We welcome the Filipino community to support their star player," Osman said. "This is something we create not only for the Singapore community, but for having that connection between athletes and fans."

The event was particularly special for Eala, given her history with Singapore. In 2016 and 2017, she competed in the WTA Future Stars event in the country, where she even received the special Li Na Award for the most inspirational player of the future. "Eala came here when she was very young," Osman recalled. "She even won a special award — the Li Na Award, for the most inspirational player of the future."