Before Alex Eala became one of the Philippines’ biggest names in tennis, she had been sharing the court with someone who knew her game long before the world did — her older brother, Michael Francis “Miko” Eala.
A tennis player himself, Miko, was one of Alex’s first inspirations in the sport and one of the earliest people who helped shape her journey.
"I got into tennis through my brother and my grandfather. It started out as a way for me to bond," Alex said in a previous interview.
With the support of their parents Mike and Rizza, together with their Lolo Bob, the siblings spent their childhood training, competing, and pushing each other to become better athletes.
In a 2024 Instagram post, Alex looked back on how their tennis journey began in the Philippines.
"All journeys have a unique beginning. Para sa aming magkapatid @miko_eala , nagsimula ito sa mga age group tournaments sa Pilipinas. Maliban sa mga competition, araw-araw din kaming pumapalo. Together, we became a team, training together and pushing each other to be better athletes. Our relationship grew stronger."
For Alex, however, Miko was not simply a training partner. He was the older brother she admired and wanted to follow.
While congratulating Miko on his graduation in 2024, Alex shared just how much she had looked up to him growing up.
"Growing up, I always wanted the things you wanted, and copied the things you would do and say, not just because I am your annoying little sister, but because I always wanted to be like you. Seeing you today, the will to become more like you grew even stronger. Proud of you Kuy 💪”
That admiration was also rooted in Miko's own accomplishments on the court.
As Alex began collecting history-making milestones on her tours, Miko was also establishing himself as a promising tennis player.
Standing at 6'1", Miko won the boys’ singles title at the CPSP-PHILTA International Junior Tennis Championship and reached a career-high No. 98 in the ITF (International Tennis Federation) junior world rankings in 2018.
He continued his junior career overseas, capturing the singles title at the 2019 Hellenic Bank Masters Tennis Academy tournament in Cyprus and winning the doubles title at the Lousada Junior Cup II in Portugal. In 2020, according to the World Tennis website, he reached a career-high rank of 107 in the ITF junior world ranking, with a year-end ranking of 164.
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His performances eventually earned him a scholarship to the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain.
Alex also received a scholarship to the academy, allowing the siblings to continue their tennis journey together abroad. With the support of their parents, who believed the opportunity would help them pursue their potential as athletes, the two continued training away from home.
Their time at the academy became another defining chapter in their tennis lives.
Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, the siblings continued prioritizing their training and had the opportunity to train with former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.
Miko also had the chance to meet and play with other world-renowned tennis stars, including Carlos Moya, Caroline Garcia, and Jaume Munar.
Beyond the tennis lessons, the experience taught Miko to appreciate what he had outside the sport.
"The biggest thing I learned siguro is to appreciate everything that you have," Miko said in an interview with GMA News in 2020.
After his time in the Rafa Nadal Academy, Miko eventually took his tennis career to the United States.
In 2020, he entered Pennsylvania State University and played for the Nittany Lions in NCAA Division I tennis until 2024. That same year, he entered his first Grand Slam tournament after signing up for the Australian Open Juniors Qualifying Rounds in Traralgon.
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Throughout his collegiate career, Miko collected several wins and distinctions in both singles and doubles.
During his junior year alone from 2022 to 2023, he recorded 21 singles victories, 12 doubles win, and five in Big Ten play. He was also named Second Team All-Big Ten and earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.
At the same time, Miko began testing himself in professional competition.
In 2022, he made his ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour debut in Vietnam and reached career-high ATP rankings of No. 1475 in singles and No. 1729 in doubles by August of that year.
He also represented the Philippines by joining the national tennis team at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia in 2023.
During his senior year from 2023 to 2024, he won two singles matches against ranked opponents and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, Academic All-Big Ten accolades, and the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. He was also named Big Ten Player of the Week in late March 2024.
He ended the season ranked No. 83 in the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) Singles Poll after reaching as high as No. 79, while also finishing No.4 in singles in the ITA Northeast Regional.
After graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in BS Finance, Miko eventually shifted his focus toward a career outside competitive tennis.
He is now working as an analyst at a consulting firm in Spain.
Although he has shifted his career some time now, Alex said her brother has found his footing in his new environment.
In an interview with the Mutua Madrid Open's YouTube channel last April, she shared how Miko has settled into his life in Spain.
"I think he's found a good group of people. He's gotten into that rhythm. He's been here for over a year already so, yes, I think he is thriving. I think he's doing really well."
But even after months away from the racket, Miko remains someone Alex knows she cannot take lightly on the court.
"I remember after he graduated college, he probably didn't touch a racket for like six months. He kept telling me 'Alex, I'm so bad. I feel so unfit'. And then one day, I went to practice with him [but] I still lost," she admitted.
"I swear, when I play with Miko, my brother, I feel like I have a mental block. If you ever need someone who knows exactly how to beat me, it's him."
For Alex, however, Miko's greatest influence has never been measured by rankings or trophies.
As she continues to navigate the demands of an increasingly high-profile tennis career, her older brother remains one of the people she turns to away from the court.
"I cannot tell you how many things I've learned from my brother. He also used to play tennis; he played D1 in the USA. He knows life and he is the first person I go to if I really have any troubles. I think my brother is such a nice person, and he’s super smart, super intelligent,” she said. “Whenever I have something I need advice for, he’s the one I can go to."
From their early days competing in tournaments in the Philippines to bringing his passion and skills internationally, Miko has built an accomplished tennis journey of his own.
And while Alex is now the sibling carrying the Philippines’ flag onto some of the biggest courts in the world, Miko remains part of the story that started it all.