Pursuing her dream of becoming a world tennis champion, teenage athlete Maristella Torrecampo and her father took a grueling 13-hour bus from their sleepy hillside hometown for her final match in Manila.

The 14-year-old girl’s mother and four siblings were unable to watch her play; Their crowdfunded budget was only enough for two round-trip bus tickets and meals for a few days.

Barely rested from the long trip, and with only her father cheering her on, Torrecampo crushed her Omani opponent in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 on that sweltering Tuesday afternoon at the Rizal Stadium, keeping alive her dream of following in the footsteps of Alexandra Eala, the country’s newest sports star.

Torrecampo competed in Manila in July as the Philippines celebrated Eala’s historic Wimbledon run, one that Torrecampo and the entire nation followed via streaming and on social media.

Eala, 21, went the furthest any Filipino had gone in a Grand Slam event, reaching the fourth round and eliminating defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland along the way.

Since her breakout performance in the semi-finals of the Miami Open last year, Eala has reignited interest in tennis in the Philippines, a country obsessed with the three B’s: basketball, boxing and beauty queens.

For young tennis players like Torrecampo, Eala is an inspiration.

“Like Ate Alex, I want to win at Wimbledon, WTA and various tournaments around the world,” Torrecampo said, referring to Eala by the Filipino word for older sister.