December 19, 2025
MANILA – Alex Eala put her 33rd Southeast Asian Games gold medal in a league of its own, as she always takes pride in representing Team Philippines.
Eala delivered the country’s first SEA Games gold in women’s tennis singles after defeating home favorite Mananchaya Sawangkaew, 6-1, 6-2, in the 33rd edition final on Thursday at the National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand.
READ: Alex Eala wins SEA Games tennis gold, ends long drought for PH
Her first-ever SEA Games gold capped a banner year, making her the third Filipino to win gold in women’s singles, joining Pia Tamayo (1981 Manila) and Maricris Fernandez (1999 Brunei).
It was a fulfilling moment for Eala, who was emotional while singing the Philippine national anthem during the awarding ceremony, after embracing the unique pressure and responsibility of representing the national team in the biennial meet.
“I think this is just a whole another category. I think playing with the country written on your back is, and these sorts of team events just bring a different kind of pressure, so I’m so happy with how I handled it and performance every day on court,” said Eala.
It was a breakthrough year for the Filipino tennis ace, starting with her dream semifinal run in the Miami Open, where she took down three Grand Slam champions to earn main draw berths in the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, where she earned her first win.
The Rafa Nadal Academy graduate also won her first Women’s Tennis Association crown in the Guadalajara 125 Open in September and made a new career-high world ranking of No.50 last month.
LIVE: Alex Eala vs Mananchaya Sawangkaew – SEA Games 2025 tennis final
Eala, though, is just getting started as she already sets her sights on the Australian Open next month.
“Actually, in my mind, this is the start of the next season,” said Eala. “But to end the year on this high is such an amazing thing. I wouldn’t have thought it would happen at the start of the year.”
Eala, who was the flag bearer with Alas Pilipinas star Bryan Bagunas in the opening ceremony, also added two bronze medals in the women’s team event and mixed doubles in her second SEA Games, following three bronze medals in the 2021 Vietnam edition.
In mixed doubles, she and Niño Alcantara fell to Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej and Pawit Sornlaksup, 7-5, 5-7, 7-10, while she was listed but did not see action in the women’s team event alongside Shaira Rivera, Alexa Milliam, Tennielle Madis, and Stefi Aludo.