PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino lauded Alexandra Eala for choosing to represent the country at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games despite the possibility of sanctions from the Women’s Tennis Association.
For Tolentino, Eala’s decision reflects her commitment to the Philippines and the supporters who have followed her rise in international tennis.
“We can always say that Alex Eala is giving back to her country, to the support Filipinos in the country and where ever she competes, they have amazingly established that global ‘Eala Mania,’” Tolentino said.
“The WTA has its rules and breaking the rules has penalties,” he added. “But Alex will be in Nagoya, for flag and country.”
The tennis competition at the Asian Games will begin on September 27 at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya. It overlaps with the China Open in Beijing, which is scheduled from September 30 to October 11.
Eala, who is ranked inside the world’s top 30, could face sanctions for missing the WTA 1000 event. Tournaments at that level, along with the four Grand Slam competitions, are mandatory for players within the ranking bracket.
Possible penalties include the loss of ranking points or the awarding of zero points for the tournament, which could slow Eala’s bid to break into the world’s top 10.
Several leading players are also set to miss the Asian Games because of the scheduling conflict. Among them are reigning Olympic and Asian Games champion Qinwen Zheng and fellow Chinese player Wang Xinyu, who won a mixed doubles silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
Eala won the bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, finishing behind Zheng and China’s Zhu Lin.
She will now return to the continental competition seeking a higher finish while prioritizing her national-team commitment despite the potential consequences on the WTA Tour. (Adrian Co)
