Eala played tennis when he was young with his brother and grandfather, and told BBC TV that he “still can’t keep up” with his older brother, even now.

She first rose to prominence in 2022, when she appeared on the cover of Vogue in her home country after becoming the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam title with her triumph at the US Open.

He rose to prominence after his breakthrough at the 2025 Miami Open, which ironically began with another victory over Swiatek.

At 19 years old and ranked outside the top 100, Eala eliminated Grand Slam champions Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys to reach the semifinals.

Since then, she has reached the top 30 in the world, won two titles in the second division WTA 125 tournaments and finished runner-up in Eastbourne last year.

In the build-up to this year’s Wimbledon, she beat world number two Elena Rybakina and eighth-ranked Elina Svitolina in Berlin, and also teamed with Venus Williams in doubles.

Its success has caused its popularity to skyrocket. Queues snake around the Grand Slam grounds when it is scheduled to play on an outdoor court, while viewing parties are held for its home matches.

That brings with it both good and bad pressure. If Eala’s victories are celebrated as a source of national pride in the Philippines, his defeats are also deeply felt.

It was a situation she overcame at the Australian Open, where she was overwhelmed by the number of people simply lining up to watch her practice.

“I try to be as authentic as possible. I believe in being genuine,” Eala said.

“While I am very grateful and grateful for all the support I receive, myself, my team and my family are the ones who have been putting in the hours.

“We are the ones who are here on the courts for 12 hours straight. We are the ones who get up early, the ones who return home late.

“I think the work ethic is really what keeps me grounded.”