Laban Alex: From a country obsessed with basketball and boxing where the champions of the sports are mostly men, Filipino Alex Ella is creating her own fan base at the US Open | Tennis news
The Alex Eala phenomenon is going strong at Flushing Meadows and, remarkably, it’s no longer limited to the playing fields.Hours before the Filipino star was scheduled to begin her US Open campaign, fans had already packed the practice courts, many without tickets for her evening match. They came carrying Philippine flags, wore blue hats emblazoned with the words “Laban Alex” — a rallying cry meaning “Fight, Alex” — and turned a routine training session into something resembling a major sporting spectacle.They watched every forehand and backhand, recorded her serves and volleys on their phones and cheered as if Ella were actually competing for a Grand Slam title.That’s the size of the fanbase the 21-year-old has built in a country where basketball and boxing have traditionally dominated the sporting landscape, and where many of the sport’s biggest champions have been men.Eala is changing that conversation.Her rise has not only given Filipino tennis fans a player to follow. She has created a new generation of supporters who see themselves in a young woman competing — and succeeding — on one of the biggest stages in world sport.As Ella continues to advance at the US Open, the hype surrounding her is growing.
From junior champion to one of the rising stars in the world
Four years ago, Ella announced herself to the tennis world in the same city.In 2022, she became the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam singles title when she lifted the girls’ singles trophy at the US Open. At the time, this was a historic achievement for Philippine tennis, but no one could have imagined how quickly her profile would grow in the following years.Her transition into the first game was slow but increasingly impressive.Last year, Ella gave New York fans an early glimpse of what she could become when she pulled off a stunning comeback against the then world number one. 14 Clara Towson. After trailing 1-5 in the deciding set, she fought her way to victory, sending the more than 8,000 spectators into a frenzy in the grandstand as Filipino flags waved all over the court.It was more than just a memorable victory. It was a preview of the connection Ayala was starting to build with the diaspora in her country and with fans back home.She reached the second round of the US Open last year.Twelve months later, she was no longer just the hot young Filipino athlete.She is ranked No. 18 in the world and No. 17 in New York, and returns to Flushing Meadows as one of the most talked-about young players on the women’s tour.This time, I went one step further.
Alexandra Ella (AP Photo)
Another breakthrough in Flushing Meadows
Eala’s recent run at the US Open began with a win over American qualifier Marie Stojana.She followed that up on Thursday by defeating Ukrainian Oleksandra Oleinikova 6-1, 6-4, securing her place in the third round of the tournament for the first time.Victory also carried the element of salvation. Olenikova had defeated Ella in three sets at the Strasbourg Open in May, but there was no doubt about the result this time.Ella immediately took control of the match and took a 4-0 lead in the first set. Even after Olenikova managed to get ahead on the scoreboard after a break, Ella responded immediately and closed the set with a score of 6-1.Her first serve was particularly effective, as Ella won 10 of the 12 points behind her in the first set.The second set was more competitive, but Ella found the decisive moments time and time again. After exchanging breaks, she made another breakthrough in the seventh game and held her nerve to take the game-winning lead.Olenikova delayed the inevitable by holding serve, but Ella completed the job in the tenth game.Numbers reflect their authority. She produced 19 winners to Olenikova’s six and never let the match get out of her control.Her reward is a third-round meeting with her best friend Iva Jovic, who defeated Fran Jones in straight sets.For Ella, this is another important milestone in a season that has transformed her career.
Alexandra Ella’s fans (AP photo)
The season that changed everything
The US Open is just the final chapter in an incredible 2026 for Ella.Earlier this year, she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam and made history when she became the first Filipina to reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament.She then produced the biggest result of her career at Wimbledon, defeating former world number one Iga Swiatek.And in Washington, I’ve come all the way.Ella recovered from a defeat to Jessica Pegula in the final to become the first Filipina to win a singles title on the WTA Tour.This victory was historic on several levels. She became the first Filipina to win a singles title on the WTA Tour, and soon after, she rose to No. 1 in the world. 18 on August 24.In doing so, she became the highest-ranked Filipino and Southeast Asian tennis player in the history of the WTA Tour and the first Filipina to break into the world’s top 20.Her list of firsts continues to expand: the first Filipina to defeat a top-10 opponent, the first to reach the fourth round of a major, the first to reach the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event, and now the first to win a WTA singles title.The track explains why the interest surrounding it in New York is different this year.
‘Laban Alex “It becomes a movement
The most obvious evidence of Ella’s popularity cannot necessarily be found on the field. It can be seen in practice courts.Fans traveled from all over the United States to watch her train. Some drove for hours. Others arrived without tickets hoping to catch a glimpse of it.For some Filipino American fans, Ella made tennis personal in a way that few other players did.Her age, background, ability to speak Tagalog, and unapologetic pride in representing the Philippines helped her supporters identify with her.Some fans who never considered themselves serious tennis followers started watching the sport because of Eala. Families started watching their matches together. Older fans traveled to New York carrying Philippine flags, while younger fans turned the song “Lapan Alex” into their own soundtrack for its matches.It is a clear Filipino expression of support for sports – emotional, communal and increasingly impossible to ignore.Ella’s accomplishments also resonate because Filipinos have historically rallied strongly around athletes who excel on the international stage.The country’s pride in Olympic champions such as gymnast Carlos Yulo has shown how quickly individual sporting success can become a national celebration.Eala is now creating something similar in tennis. The difference is that her story is still being written.
The next chapter could be even bigger
Eala has made sure to keep the attention straight.Her meteoric rise has seen her join forces with some of the biggest names in tennis, including former champions and world No. 1s. Partnerships and training sessions with players such as Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka have given her the opportunity to learn from the history of the sport while experiencing first-hand what it takes to stay at the highest level.Her success has also forced the tennis world to take notice.Former players and analysts praised the improvement in her game, especially over the past year, while expressing their admiration for the size and intensity of the crowds she attracts.At just 21 years old, Ella is already a junior Grand Slam champion, a WTA champion, a top 20 player and a player capable of beating the best.However, perhaps the most fascinating part of her US Open story is that the tournament itself seems to grow with her.Four years ago, she was a junior champion celebrating her first major achievement. Last year, it was the young Filipino who stunned Towson and reached the second round. She returns this year as a player ranked in the top 20 in the world.And now I’ve reached the third round.Surrounded by Filipino flags, the training fields are filled, and chants of “Pan Alex” rise.
