PHOTO CREDIT: PHILTA

Fresh off her historic Wimbledon campaign, Filipina tennis star Alex Eala has set her sights on another major goal—representing the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Speaking during a press conference organized by her sponsor, BPI, the 21-year-old confirmed that competing in the continental meet is part of her plans, although her participation has yet to be finalized due to her professional tour schedule.

"The Asian Games is in my plans, yes," Eala said.

The 2026 Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, where thousands of athletes from across Asia will compete for continental honors. For Eala, wearing the Philippine colors in a multi-sport event carries a different meaning from competing on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

"It's always an honor. I think it's different when you play in the Southeast Asian Games or in the Asian Games or in the Olympics," she said. "It brings a different vibe than when I compete in the WTA Tour. And I always enjoy, especially when I have teammates, when I have Filipino teammates."

Eala said her experience in last year's Southeast Asian Games remains one of the highlights of her career after winning the women's singles gold medal and bronze medals in the mixed doubles and women's team events.

"SEA Games last year was an incredible experience for me. I had so much fun," she said. "So I think I'm really excited. I'm super motivated and I'm going to give it my best."

Beyond chasing medals, Eala also hopes to continue promoting Filipino culture whenever she competes overseas. She said she is open to collaborating with local designers for her on-court outfits.

"Yes, I would love to collaborate with Filipino designers," Eala said. "I think I would describe my on-court style as... quite girly, but also in a confident way, a little edgy. I'm still trying to figure it out, but I think it's a beautiful process and I'm really enjoying it."

She said incorporating Filipino-inspired designs into her wardrobe is her way of honoring her heritage.

"I think on one hand, it is a way for me to pay tribute to my culture and it's a slight nod to where I come from. On the other hand, it's also just because I genuinely think it's really beautiful."

Eala recalled feeling confident while wearing a sampaguita-inspired hair accessory during last year's Wimbledon and a Filipiniana gown designed by her uncle, fashion designer Rhett Eala, at this year's Laureus World Sports Awards.

"When I wore the Sampaguita last year, I felt super beautiful. I felt confident on court and I was ready to play," she said.

"When I wore the Filipiniana by my Tito Rhett at the Laureus Sports Awards this year, I felt so beautiful. I felt like a princess," Eala expounded.

The Filipina star also hopes her success will encourage more young athletes to take up tennis. She said one of the biggest challenges facing the sport in the country is the lack of accessible facilities.

"We have to go step by step," she said. "One thing that really fills my heart whenever I come back is when people come up and tell me they're playing now and that it's so hard to get courts. So maybe the first step would be to have more courts. And then we'll see from there."

Asked for advice to aspiring Filipino tennis players, Eala kept her message simple.

"I think I'd go simple and say that anything is possible," Eala said. "I think that your dreams are possible, and that everyone has the right to chase their dreams and to go for what they want."

Eala has become one of the biggest names in Philippine sports after making history as the first Filipino singles player to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon and the country's highest-ranked player on the WTA Tour. As she continues to climb the world rankings, she remains committed to representing the Philippines whenever her schedule allows.