“My Parents Have Always Led By Example”: Eala on Parents' Lessons

Alex Eala’s Wimbledon 2026 run has permanently etched her name in the global tennis map. She is the first Filipina to reach the third round of a Grand Slam. After her success, Filipinos welcomed her the way we know best: a warm, loud, and festive Filipino homecoming this July.

During one of her homecoming events on July 13, Alex was asked about the best thing her parents, Mike and Rizza Eala, have given her. She started her answer with “My dad is the guy to talk to!” She then followed it up with more jest: "The best things my parents have given me, huh. How long do we have?”

“My parents have always led by example. I see so many things in them in the way that they approach life, and in the way they interact with other people. The way they handle situations at work, in family, and in personal situations,” Alex said.

“I think it’s natural for children to adopt things from their parents,” Alex explained. It was not difficult for them to follow their parents’ teachings because they walked the talk.

​Alex continued, “My parents always gave me that space to be myself, express those emotions, the frustrations, the disappointment that comes with being an athlete.”

Despite these freedoms of self-expression, Alex emphasized that her parents have an important non-negotiable: “One thing they never tolerated is bad behavior on court. Yung parang nagdadabog.”

On July 14, at BPI's (Bank of the Philippines Islands) media meet-and-greet event, Smart Parenting asked Alex how she develops her mental toughness on the court. She replied that it comes naturally to a professional tennis player like herself who's constantly facing high-pressure situations.

"I think mental toughness in the life of a professional athlete, especially a professional tennis player is being practiced every day. And it's not something I have exercises for, or something that I go so and so exercises for my mental toughness."

She added, "It's naturally developed because of all the situations that you're put in. You're always in high-pressure situations. You always want to do well. You're always self-demanding. And you're always put in these positions where you have to face it head-on, and you have to do what you do best."

Alex also said during the same media day that she doesn't have a specific goal whenever she competes. "I don't have a specific round and say, 'O kailangan ko abutin 'to.' The way I approach tournaments is match by match, round by round. I do want to get as far as I possibly can—of course, the ultimate goal is to win, right? But I take it round by round."

Almost like clear proof of her mentality and what goes on inside her mind during tournaments, when asked about her goals and plans for the upcoming Asian Games and if she intends to 'go for the gold?' she replied, "You think I am going for first round?"

Thinking about getting your kids into sports? Here's a dad's take on the life lessons that sports teach kids.