{
  "id": 837929,
  "title": "‘I want to be Eala’: Philippine sensation sparks tennis boom at home",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/i-want-to-be-eala-philippine-sensation-sparks-tennis-boom-at-home",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-14T04:34:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/08/14/i-want-to-be-eala-philippine-sensation-sparks-tennis-boom-at-home"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Philippines, a tennis sensation named Alexandra Eala has ignited a passion for the sport among young Filipinos. Just over a year after her first Grand Slam appearance at the 2025 French Open, the 21-year-old has risen to 20th in the WTA rankings, sparking a surge in interest for a sport typically dominated by the elite in a country known for basketball, boxing and cockfighting. Racquet sales have soared, and securing a court for practice is nearly impossible due to high demand. Eala's rise has motivated many, with parents hoping their children could follow in her footsteps. A famous image of her diving for a ball at Wimbledon's Centre Court inspired nine-year-old Mayumi Stevens, who dreams of becoming Eala when she grows up. French sporting goods retailer Decathlon has capitalized on the trend, with sales of beginner racquets increasing by 66% in the past year. The Philippines has fewer than 1,000 tennis courts, many of which are unique shell courts, making court reservations challenging. Eala's success has led to the construction of a National Tennis Centre, with an academy and an 8,000-capacity stadium, in an effort to nurture more homegrown talent.",
  "summary": "Alexandra Eala's rise has sparked a surge of interest in tennis in a country best known for its love of basketball, boxing and cockfighting.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "‘I want to be Eala’: Philippine sensation sparks tennis boom at home",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/i-want-to-be-eala-philippine-sensation-sparks-tennis-boom-at-home-842652",
        "published": "2026-08-14T04:34:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "'I want to be Eala': Philippine sensation sparks tennis boom at home",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/i-want-to-be-eala-philippine-sensation-sparks-tennis-boom-at-home-851098",
        "published": "2026-08-14T08:28:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "‘I want to be Eala’: Philippine sensation sparks tennis boom at home",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/i-want-to-be-eala-philippine-sensation-sparks-tennis-boom-at-home",
        "published": "2026-08-15T01:49:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}