For a basketball-crazed nation like the Philippines, tennis has long been an afterthought, often overshadowed by the country's love for other sports.
But things changed when Alex Eala started to climb the world rankings and emerged as one of tennis's brightest young stars.
With stunning victories over some of the sport's biggest names, Eala thrust tennis into the national conversation, drawing unprecedented attention to the game. It echoed the frenzy of Manny Pacquiao 's prime, when the country seemed to come to a standstill every time he stepped into the ring.
Now it is Eala keeping Filipinos awake, sometimes into the early hours of the morning, as they watch her make history on the sport's biggest stages.
Alex Eala departed Wimbledon, after her fourth-round loss to Jasmine Paolini, with a symbol of love and affection for her fans and supporters. Marleen Fouchier/BSR Agency/Getty Images "She unifies Filipinos," Kuya Barong, a superfan known for wearing a traditional barong and salakot while waving the Philippine flag at sporting events, said in Filipino during a public watch party at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig for Eala's Wimbledon fourth-round match against Jasmine Paolini on Monday.
Fans from all walks of life packed one side of the arena, while hundreds more watched from chairs arranged on the playing floor.
Eala's match was shown immediately after the broadcast of Gilas Pilipinas' game against Australia's Boomers in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
The 21-year-old became the first Filipino in the Open Era to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon. It was only her second appearance at the Grand Slam after exiting in the opening round a year earlier.
Holding small Philippine flags handed out by organizers, the crowd erupted after every Eala point and applauded every rally.
Although she ultimately fell to Paolini, the crowd gave her a standing ovation in recognition of a historic campaign that included a stunning third-round upset of defending champion and world No. 3 Iga Swiatek last Saturday.
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"I felt her win allowed us to believe in our sports heroes again, that we can win and dominate in a sport we haven't traditionally excelled in," Kuya Barong said, admitting he is still learning the rules of tennis and its scoring system.
"To be honest, tennis has never really been popular here, right? But because of Alex Eala, we're learning to appreciate a new sport. She's introduced us to something we can love just as much as she loves it.