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Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala promises to continue representing the Philippines in the ‘best way’ after receiving the Presidential Citation at Malacañang

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala never imagined she would be hosted by the Philippine president and honored for her hard work.

Eala enjoyed a rousing reception from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at Malacañang and received the Presidential Citation on Monday night, July 13, as she returned home following her historic run in the Wimbledon Championship.

Marcos hailed the 21-year-old tennis star as the embodiment of the Filipinos’ greatest qualities.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for this special honor and for the warm welcome. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be having dinner here at the Malacañang Palace next to you and be receiving such kind and genuine words. I feel very seen,” said Eala in her speech. 

“Hearing that come from you, I feel like all the hard work that I’ve done is seen. All the hours that aren’t on TV are seen and validated and appreciated, so thank you so, so much.” 

In Wimbledon, Eala dethroned Poland’s Iga Swiatek to reach the fourth round, becoming the first Filipino to make the second week of a Grand Slam. 

That splendid campaign propelled Eala to a new career-high ranking of No. 28 as she cracked the top 30 for the third time this year, establishing herself as one of the players to watch out for on the tour.

For Eala, her achievements are as much as the Philippines’ as they are hers. 

“I’m so grateful that I’m able to share my triumphs, most especially my most recent run at Wimbledon, with the country,” said Eala.

“I cannot begin to describe how overjoyed I am to see how my progress has been received by the Filipino people, and it warms my heart because I know that it comes from a profound and shared love for our nation.” 

“With that being said, I’m deeply proud to be Filipino. I carry the flag with me wherever I go and I am a firm believer that where you come from is a big part of who you are.” 

And as Eala soon returns to action after her relatively brief homecoming, she vows to keep showcasing the best of the country, on and off the court. 

“I promise that I will continue to represent the Philippines in the best way that I possibly can,” Eala said. – Rappler.com