Alexandra Eala was already on her way to becoming the Philippines’ next global star, and that was before she beat a grand slam winner, an Olympic gold medallist and the defending champion while winning her maiden WTA singles title. Following her fairy tale run at Wimbledon, the 21-year-old’s victory over world No 3 Jessica Pagula in the Washington Open on Tuesday has sparked another surge of interest in the sport in her home country. Her performance drew praise from Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jnr, who congratulated her on “yet another historic achievement”. Alexandra Eala has plenty of support during the final of the Washington Open, mirroring the tennis fever that has gripped the Philippines. Photo: AFPCourt rentals in Manila cost around 2,000 pesos (US$32) per hour, meaning half a day’s play costs half the minimum wage.