ROME (AP) 鈥� There were plenty of Filipino flags waving in support of amid the statues lining the picturesque Pietrangeli court at the Italian Open on Friday.
Eala beat 31st-seeded Wang Xinyu 6-4, 6-3 to follow up her three-set victory over Magdalena French in the opening round and put together consecutive clay-court victories for the first time since the qualifying rounds for the 2024 French Open.
鈥淵es, I did notice it,鈥� Eala said of the Filipino support in Rome.
The 20-year-old Eala has become a worldwide sensation among the large Filipino diaspora ever since her breakthrough run to the last year. Her fan base expanded again when in a long third-set tiebreaker in the first round at the U.S. Open last year for her first win in a major.
She attracted more attention at this year鈥檚 Australian Open 鈥� the closest Grand Slam to the Philippines.
Eala also noticed Filipino flags hanging outside a building on her way to visit the Vatican this week.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥極K, we really are everywhere.鈥� And then I later learned that that鈥檚 the embassy of the Philippines to the Vatican,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd funny story: My great grandmother, she used to work there way back when. So it was full circle or something sentimental.鈥�
Nadal’s academy
While Eala prefers faster surfaces, she has plenty of access to clay courts at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain where she’s based.
鈥淚 have a great team, very knowledgeable, and they are definitely guiding me and navigating me through this phase of the tour,鈥� Eala said. 鈥淚 trust in them a lot.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e been trying to do is just be very patient and kind of try to enjoy being in that mode or that kind of mindset of being physically pushed and trying to stay in that suffering kind of zone.”
Wimbledon is her favorite
While Eala is preparing for the French Open, her favorite Grand Slam remains Wimbledon.
鈥淕rowing up, Wimbledon was always the Grand Slam for me because I loved the tradition and seeing it from afar was very beautiful,鈥� Eala said. 鈥淚 saw everyone was in all white, the grass was so green, everything very elegant. So I carry that opinion until now.鈥�
Eala has played in the main draw of the last four Grand Slams. So Roland Garros will mark her second time around in that category. She鈥檚 ranked No. 42.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been past a second round in a Grand Slam,鈥� she said, 鈥渟o that would be nice.鈥�
Spanish language skills
Being based in Spain 鈥� the Nadal academy is in Manacor on the Balearic Islands 鈥� has helped Eala learn a third language after Filipino and English. During the recent Madrid Open she was able to do interviews in Spanish.
鈥淭o be able to get out of my shell and really break that barrier of being embarrassed was a great step for me,” she said. 鈥淗aving a third language is really a great skill and it鈥檚 very useful so I鈥檓 quite proud of myself.鈥�
Home tournament in Manila
Eala鈥檚 emergence helped the Philippines host a WTA 125-level tournament in January. Amid huge attention, she reached the quarterfinals.
鈥淓very time I go home I鈥檓 able to experience Manila in a different light because thankfully I鈥檝e been getting better and better,鈥� Eala said. 鈥淗ome will always be home and I love going back there.鈥�
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