Eastbourne, England, June 29, 2025: The Philippine Olympic Committee has hailed the performance of tennis star Alexandra Eala on reaching the final of the Lexus Eastbourne Open in the United Kingdom.
Although Eala lost the final 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10) to Australia’s Maya Joint on Saturday, she won the hearts of the crowd for her fearless play and chatty, emotional post-match speeches on the court.
“Silver today, golden future ahead,” the POC said in a social media post.
“Alexandra Eala just became the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour-level final - and finished with a dazzling silver. The journey’s just beginning.”
Joint, 19, saved four championship points on the way to victory against Eala, the 20-year-old left-hander from Quezon City in Manila.
Eala thanked the fans for making it “super special” and added: “It is my first WTA final. It’s a big deal for me and, you know, for my country, too, because it’s historic. It’s the first time any Filipino has done anything.
“It is only the first. I will definitely work hard to do more. Wimbledon is next week. It’s been a crazy year. I will remember this week and this moment forever.”