Filipina tennis star Alex Eala has the potential to reach the highest level of her sport, a former highly-ranked player said.
Gregory Rusedski, a former world No. 4 and US Open finalist, is all in on "Eala-mania" and believes that the Filipina has what it takes to make it to the top of the women's game.
"When she's 23, 24, 25… There's no reason that she couldn't be world No. 1 and winning majors," Rusedski said in a 1-on-1 interview with TJ Manotoc of ABS-CBN News.
Rusedski, now the host of the "Off Court" podcast together with Kevin Palmer, has tracked Eala's progress since her breakout campaign in last year's Miami Open. To end 2025, they predicted that the Filipina will be one of the biggest breakout stars of 2026, and Eala has delivered.
The Filipina won her first WTA Tour crown in Washington DC and reached the fourth round of Wimbledon. She is already through to the third round of the US Open, where she will play Iva Jovic of the United States.
READ: Alex Eala set for third round clash against 'amazing' Jovic at US Open
Along the way, she has embraced a rapidly expanding fanbase, and Rusedski says her impact cannot be denied.
"She just has it. The public wanna see her," he said. "Whether you're playing in Washington, whether you're playing in Toronto, whether you're playing in Asia, whether you're playing in New York, everybody wants to see her." — report from TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News