By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Filipina sensation Alex Eala is not afraid to dream big.
Scheduled to compete at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany this week, the 20-year-old Eala shared that she would love the chance to compete in mixed doubles alongside some of the sports brightest stars: former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz and rising Brazilian standout Joao Fonseca.
“I would love to play mixed doubles of course with Novak or Alcaraz, and I think Joao Fonseca is also a good one. I think he’s got a good crowd so I think that would be great,” Eala said in one of the organizers’ light-hearted interviews posted on social media.
Her choices came as no surprise. Teaming up with a legend like 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, renowned for his precision and mental toughness, or world No. 2 Alcaraz, whose all-court brilliance has taken the tennis world by storm, would be a dream scenario for any rising star.
Adding Fonseca, ranked No. 40 in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), only makes the prospect more intriguing.
Off the court, the Filipina teen offered a candid look at her life beyond tennis, saying she might have pursued a business degree in university had she not chosen the pro path — and admitting she can be a bit of a couch potato when she’s not competing.
A separate post from organizers, meanwhile, showed Eala in one of the tournament’s fan interaction activities, adding hers is the most wanted autograph in the Porsche Village today.
Eala was scheduled to meet Leylah Fernandez — a Canadian of Filipino descent — on Monday, April 13, but the match was later on moved the following day.
