A debate has erupted online over the impact of Alexandra Eala’s elimination from the National Bank Open in Toronto, with social media users divided over whether the Filipino tennis star’s presence was a major factor behind the tournament’s strong crowd support.
The discussion began after Philippine Tennis posted an image carrying the headline, “With Alex Eala’s loss, the Canadian Open lost its crowd,” alongside a caption suggesting that it remained to be seen whether tickets for the remaining matches would also sell out.
The post drew mixed reactions, with some users pointing to Eala’s ability to attract Filipino fans while others criticized what they described as an excessive focus on a single player.
One user argued that fans should support the sport as a whole rather than only a particular athlete or team.
“Be a fan of the sport, not just the team / athlete,” the user wrote.
parang ccs kulto fans lang pag wala creamline sa finals hahahaha.
be a fan of the sport, not just the team / athlete. pic.twitter.com/giFrD6lVCs
— bandit (@mossybeifong) August 11, 2026
The same user later clarified that the point was not to tell fans whether they should watch the PVL without Creamline or tennis without Eala, but to discourage what was described as a sense of entitlement among some supporters.
The discussion came after Eala’s impressive run in Toronto, where the 21-year-old Filipina attracted significant support from the Filipino community in Canada.
Eala, seeded No. 25, reached the fourth round of the WTA 1000 tournament after defeating Americans Alycia Parks and Caty McNally. Her run ended against Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, who won 6-4, 6-0.
Her presence in Toronto had generated considerable attention, with Filipino fans filling the stands during her matches and creating a strong home-crowd atmosphere despite the tournament being held in Canada.
Other social media users defended Eala’s supporters, arguing that large fan bases contribute to the commercial success of sporting events.
“It’s the fans who are bringing in the money,” one commenter said, comparing Eala’s following to the support enjoyed by other popular Philippine sports teams and athletes.
Another user noted that Eala’s popularity could help attract spectators even when she is not competing.
The debate also highlighted the broader impact of Eala’s breakthrough season, which included her historic first WTA Tour singles title at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington and a run to the fourth round in Toronto.
Eala has emerged as one of the Philippines’ biggest draws in international tennis, with her growing following extending beyond traditional tennis audiences and into the wider Filipino community.
For some fans, however, her growing popularity also presents an opportunity to introduce more Filipinos to tennis and encourage them to follow the sport beyond Eala’s own matches.(Adrian Co)
