Alexandra Eala falls against Iva Jovic!
New York, Sep 5 (EFE).-
Arthur Ashe Stadium was awash in blue, red and white Saturday in honor of Alexandra Eala, who turned the U.S. Open’s main venue into a little Philippines and, despite her loss to American Iva Jovic, confirmed the fervor she inspires among her country’s diaspora.
The match offered an unusual sight at a tournament accustomed to major stars and celebrities: a devoted Filipino crowd filling the stands with flags, shirts and signs bearing Eala’s name.
The chair umpire even had to ask the crowd to calm down several times, the first when Eala came close to saving a break point that was ultimately won by Jovic, the No. 14-ranked player in the world. Jovic, whose father is Serbian and mother is Croatian, also received support from another section of the crowd, particularly as her play improved.
“Let’s go, Eala, let’s go!” some fans shouted as they formed a sign, letter by letter, spelling the 21-year-old Asian player’s name. Eala is ranked No. 18 in the world.
The scene has been repeated at several tournaments in recent months, and now in New York. Eala has mobilized her country’s diaspora to such an extent that tournament organizers gave her the first match of the evening session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main stadium at Flushing Meadows and the tournament’s most prominent time slot.
Many Filipinos living in New York City arrived at the stadium hours before her match.
“Yes, we came for her. We don’t just live in New York, we live here in Queens, where the stadium is located. My daughter plays tennis because of her,” Adriana said.
Eala entered the U.S. Open on a roll. In August, she won her first WTA title in Washington by defeating American Jessica Pegula in the final, a result that propelled her into the world’s top 20 for the first time.
Eala, who trained at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca and is coached by Joan Bosch, has beaten players including Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka this season. In New York, she faced the challenge of proving she could compete on equal terms with the best players on tour.
In the Philippines, “Eala Mania” has reached an unusual level of popularity for a tennis player in a country where basketball and boxing have traditionally commanded far more attention.
“I’m proud to represent Filipinos,” Eala said after her second-round victory, when she also thanked the Filipino community in New York.
After winning her first WTA title in Washington, she said representing her country makes what she does “something bigger” than herself.
One of the keys to understanding the phenomenon is the Filipino concept of “kapwa,” which reflects a strong sense of community and solidarity among Filipinos.
The day also had a strong Asian presence, with China’s Zheng Qinwen producing a spectacular comeback against Madison Keys to advance to the fourth round. Zheng, too, commands a large following among Chinese fans. Japan’s Naomi Osaka also advanced with a victory over Belgium’s Elise Mertens. EFE
jco/lds
