MELBOURNE — The meteoric rise of Alexandra “Alex” Eala is redefining Philippine tennis and fuelling global interest in the sport, according to Novak Djokovic, who praised the young Filipina’s massive popularity at the Australian Open.
Djokovic took note of the overwhelming turnout of Filipino fans during Eala’s match earlier this week, calling the attention she draws a “good problem” that reflects tennis’ expanding worldwide appeal.
“I saw the other day, that Alex Eala has been the talk, which is understandable,” Djokovic said during his post-match press conference. “Some players coming from their respective countries, and she comes from the Philippines, which is now a very big deal.”
The fourth-seeded Djokovic shared his thoughts after defeating Francesco Maestrelli, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round of the men’s singles at Melbourne Park. He was asked about crowd congestion issues during Eala’s match on a smaller court — a situation he believes highlights a positive trend for the sport.
“Having too much crowd on this or any other tennis tournament is a very good problem to have. I think there are much worse problems to have,” Djokovic remarked.
Widely regarded as the greatest men’s tennis player of all time, the 38-year-old said Eala’s drawing power emphasizes tennis’ need to grow in emerging markets, particularly in countries with passionate fan bases like the Philippines.
“Let’s just imagine if there’s a lack of people coming or that stands are empty. That’s a bigger problem. I mean, this is great,” he added. “Every tournament wants record-breaking attendance and ticket sales… it’s a good sign. Obviously, we want more attention, more people coming and wanting to watch the tennis live.”
Djokovic acknowledged that tournament organizers could consider scheduling Eala on bigger courts moving forward, given her growing fan following and breakout 2025 campaign.
“There’s big interest (in her). Things like that happen,” he said. “You could argue that it was maybe a poor schedule and maybe they could schedule her on a bigger court. Yes, but again, she’s so young and she’s just coming through.”
Now back in the Philippines, the world No. 49 is preparing for the 2026 Philippine Women’s Open (WTA 125) next week, where organizers at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center are ensuring that crowd management won’t be an issue when she plays.
“I didn’t expect that many people to be there. So it’s a learning process,” Eala said. “I’m still young, so learning how to deal with all of this attention, but at the same time being grateful.”
Eala recently practiced on the newly rehabilitated tennis courts. She will soon head to the United Arab Emirates, where she has secured a main-draw spot at the Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) from Feb. 1 to 7 after receiving a wildcard entry.
