ALEXANDRA Eala admitted she wanted a longer run at the Singapore Tennis Open, but said her return to Southeast Asia remained a meaningful part of her journey despite the early exit.
Eala’s campaign ended in the round of 16 after Tatiana Prozorova of Russia rallied to beat her, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, on Thursday night.
“I don’t know, it was a short but sweet trip. I really, yeah, I guess I definitely would have wanted to go further. Like every tournament, I want to go far, but I think being in Southeast Asia is extra special,” Eala said during her post-match press conference.
The 21-year-old Filipina said the experience was made more memorable by the support she received from Filipino fans and the familiarity of competing in a region where she has played since she was young.
“Feeling the support, I mean not just from the Filipinos, but I think I’ve been coming here ever since I was young,” she said.
Eala also appreciated returning to Singapore as a professional player and experiencing the city in a different stage of her career while surrounded by family.
“So to be back as a top money player, and a seed, and being able to experience, I guess, this city in a professional way. I don’t know, being surrounded by family, it’s a really nice experience to have,” she said.
For Eala, the significance of her Singapore campaign went beyond her result on court.
“And at the end of the day, it’s more than tennis for me. Seeing my growth, seeing how I’ve grown as a person,” she said.
Eala recalled that she first competed in Singapore at just eight years old. Now 21, she said returning to the same environment allowed her to appreciate the progress she has made both as a player and as a person.
“I think my first tournament here, I was probably 8, I’m 21 now. So, yeah, it’s nice to see how far I’ve come,” Eala said.
With her Singapore Open campaign over, Eala will now shift her attention to representing the Philippines at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. (Adrian Co)
