Bangkok, Thailand, December 19, 2025: Alex Eala ended the 26-year Philippine gold medal drought in women’s tennis singles at the SEA Games on Thursday, December 18.
The left-handed Eala breezed past Thai Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-1, 6-2, to become the first Filipina to win the gold medal in women’s singles after Maricris Fernandez-Gentz won gold in this event at the Brunei SEA Games in 1999 – six years before Eala was born.
“It feels like I have been dreaming about this for a long time – that I would be the one who could bring that kind of pride to the Philippines,” the 20-year-old Eala was quoted by The Manila Times.
Eala, ranked 53 on the WTA, also collected a pair of bronze medals, making the podium in the women’s team event and mixed doubles partnering Francis Casey Alcantara.
