The Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) says it is "fully behind" Alex Eala after her first-round exit at the Wuhan Open.
"She has single-handedly put the Philippines on the world tennis map," PHILTA secretary-general and Navotas mayor John Rey Tiangco said in a statement late Wednesday, Manila Times reports. "At this level of competition, victories and defeats are part of the journey."
Tiangco told Daily Tribune he most admires Eala's "growth mindset." "Whether she wins or loses, she always looks for ways to become better," he said.
Eala, world No. 19, lost in Wuhan to Chinese qualifier Shi Han. That followed a September loss to Russia's Tatiana Prozorova in Singapore and bronze at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Tribune reports.
The federation also addressed the WTA 125 Philippine Women's Open in January 2027, during the second week of the Australian Open. On Thursday, PHILTA executive director Tonette Mendoza told GMA News that Eala would not be able to participate, citing the rules. WTA rules bar players ranked 11–20 from entering a WTA 125 directly, but allow up to two of them in via wildcard.
On Friday, Tiangco said her participation "remains uncertain." "Should Alex decide to compete, we would certainly welcome her and extend a wildcard entry, subject to tournament rules and approval," he told GMA News.
Eala heads to the WTA 500 Ningbo Open next week, starting Monday, 19 Oct.
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