In the opening week at Wimbledon, queues snaked around the grounds as fans lined up for second-round matches.
They thronged the exit of Court 3 so densely that the eventual winner was preceded by two men in suits and panama hats clearing a path.
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You might have expected a former grand slam champion or a leading British player like Katie Boulter.
Instead, the figure emerging was 21-year-old Filipino sensation Alexandra Eala, signing notebooks and balls for fans.
A Run to Remember
Eala’s Wimbledon run was one to note.
Already the highest-ranked Filipino player of all time, she upset defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets on Centre Court, achieving her deepest grand slam run before losing to Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round.
She has been billed as the star turn of September’s WTA 500 Singapore Open and features on the poster for the upcoming Mubadala Citi DC Open.
Her company on the publicity material includes Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, and Elina Svitolina.
Star Power Versus Achievements
It is not uncontroversial to say Eala’s star power disproportionately outweighs her career achievements.
On tour, she has won only two WTA 125 titles and has one other finals appearance.
Yet it’s Eala pulling the crowds that one might have expected more accomplished talents like Iva Jovic or Victoria Mboko to attract.
Watch parties for her matches fill stadiums back home, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised her after her Centre Court victory.
