Philippines' Alexandra Eala serves to Mexico's Renata Zarazua during their women's singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. Kirill Kudryavtsev, AFP/File
MANILA — Filipino fans will get a chance to watch tennis ace Alex Eala play live in a homecoming celebration hosted by Tatler in December.
Tatler Group CEO and Chairman Michel Lamunière and Tatler Philippines Managing Director Irene Francisco announced on Friday “Alex Eala Live: Game. Set. Celebrate.”
The special homecoming event will take place on December 8, 2026 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
"Alex has given Filipinos so many reasons to watch, cheer, and believe in what is possible. We have followed her journey through headlines, broadcasts, and late night matches around the world. We have the rare opportunity to welcome her home and show her in one arena the support that Filipinos have given her from the very beginning," Francisco said at a press conference on Friday at the Shangri-La Fort.
"Game, Set, Celebrate will bring together world class tennis, Filipino pride, and a shared experience for families, especially the young people that may see in Alex what their futures could hold. Most of all, it is our opportunity as a country to say to Alex, we have seen your journey, we are proud of you, and we are behind you," she added.
The headline of the celebration will be an exhibition match between Eala and her “Southeast Asian sister (SEAster)” Janice Tjen of Indonesia.
"Every time I play abroad, I carry the Philippines with me. To come home and play in front of our fans will be incredibly special," Eala said in a statement.
"I want this to be a day where we celebrate our love for tennis, our culture and the young players who will take the sport forward. And if all of us come together, maybe we can make a little history too," she added.
The event will also include matches featuring young Filipino tennis talent, celebrities and more.
More than bringing Eala closer to the Filipinos, the event also aims to break the current attendance record in a tennis match.
"We want to create the biggest tennis celebration the Philippines has ever seen. And we have a real chance to make tennis history... We choose the Philippines. For one simple reason. We want as many Filipinos as possible to experience this moment together," Lamunière said.
'I want to be Eala': Philippine sensation sparks tennis boom
The Tatler official explained why they chose the Philippine Arena as the venue for Eala's homecoming celebration.
"This should be a celebration for everyone. And the Philippine Arena gives us another amazing opportunity. The current attendance record for a tennis match is 51,954 people, set when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played in Cape Town in 2020," Lamunière said.
"We have the opportunity to bring more than 52,000 people together. Just imagine that more than 52,000 people in one arena celebrating Alex and Filipino tennis. If we achieve that, the Philippines could make tennis history and stage the biggest attended tennis match ever. That would be an amazing achievement and something we could all be very proud of," he added.
Tatler wants to help expose tennis to the youth after Eala showed it's possible for a Filipino to reach the world stage.
"Most importantly, we want young Filipinos watching Alex on that court to understand one thing. A Filipino athlete can compete with the very best in the world. And maybe somewhere among all those young people in the arena will be the next Alex Eala," Lamunière shared.
"There is also a personal reason why this means so much to me. I was born Swiss, but my wife is Filipina. My two daughters are Filipina. My extended family is Filipino. And after so many years, I really consider myself a Filipino. So creating something special for the Philippines means a lot to me personally," he said.
Ticket prices start at P600 up to P25,000 with pre-sale registration running until September 6 at 11:59 p.m.
Ticket sales will begin on September 14 at 12pm via TicketWorld.
More updates on the “Alex Eala Live: Game. Set. Celebrate” will be released on Tatler's official social media pages (@tatlersports and @tatlerphilippines) in the coming weeks.
Alex Eala gets surprise 'marriage proposal' from fan
Anna Wintour notices Alex Eala’s interest in fashion: ‘I think it’s great’
'Regalo namin sa kanya:' Tenement Court honors tennis ace Alex Eala