Courtesy: WTA
Filipina tennis ace Alexandra Eala is among Time Magazine’s “TIME100 Next 2026: The World’s Most Influential Rising Stars.”
Categorized under “Innovators”, Eala is the only tennis player included in this year’s list, with her profile written by no less than her mentor and tennis icon Rafael Nadal.
“Alexandra Eala was the first player I shared a tennis court with after my retirement. One day, she asked whether I felt like hitting with her for a while. For the first time in many months, I picked up a racket and played again,” Nadal recalled.
The tennis legend also talked about Eala’s journey at the Rafa Nadal Academy and the achievements the current WTA No. 18 has had.
Eala made her breakthrough in 2025 when she reached the Miami Open semifinals in a dream run. She has since steadily climbed the rankings and emerged as one of the most talked-about players on the WTA Tour.
The 21-year old Filipina tennis star also has a WTA title after ruling the 2026 DC Open following her fourth-round run at Wimbledon this year.
Eala was one of a handful of athletes included in the list, which also featured newly-crowned WNBA Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles of the Minnesota Lynx, NBA player Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
She is currently competing for the Philippines in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya Japan, where victory in the women’s singles can gain her qualification to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
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