Alex Eala's rise through the tennis ranks has reached a point where even seasoned observers are struggling to find the right historical comparisons. After her breakthrough WTA 500 title in Washington, where she defeated Wang Xinyu, Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, and Jessica Pegula in succession, the 21-year-old Filipino star is now being mentioned in the same breath as all-time great Serena Williams.
Former British No. 1 Greg Rusedski made the bold comparison on his podcast, pointing specifically to the phenomenon of Eala's fan base. Rusedski noted that Williams was the only other player he could compare to Eala's current star status, explaining how Serena commanded fervent crowd support wherever she competed. He sees that same energy surrounding Eala now, with Filipino fans packing arenas across North America and buying tickets in droves just to witness her compete. Rusedski described her as the biggest sports star in the Philippines regardless of gender, adding that her Toronto opener sold out as a direct reflection of that remarkable pulling power.
Eight-time Grand Slam champion Jimmy Connors also weighed in, offering praise rooted in both her style of play and her crowd support. Connors admired Eala's left-handed game, her willingness to take the ball early, and her aggressive returning. He called her approach refreshing and suggested that a passionate crowd can push a player to levels she never imagined possible. For Connors, that kind of intimidating atmosphere is exactly what makes tennis exciting and what drives wider interest in the women's game.
With Toronto underway and Cincinnati to follow before the US Open, Eala's momentum feels unstoppable right now. TennisDraw users have been heavily backing Eala as a deep-run contender heading into the North American hard-court swing.
