Before Alex Eala smashed records and served her way into tennis history, the Eala household already had a champion. Her mother, Rizza Eala, once stood on a SEA Games podium—a bronze medalist in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok.
At just 16, Rizza (Maniego at the time) swam for the Philippines in an era when athletes didn’t have the luxuries of modern sports science or big brand sponsors. Her medal wasn’t just a win—it was a testament to discipline, grit, and the kind of quiet determination she would later pass on to her daughter.
Image: IG @alex.eala
Fast-forward a few decades, and Rizza had swapped swim caps for spreadsheets, becoming Chief Financial Officer of Globe Telecom, one of the Philippines’ largest companies. She held that post until 2024, when she retired to pursue “personal and professional goals.”
While the company didn’t elaborate, anyone following Alex’s career could connect the dots—Rizza was making space for the next chapter: fully supporting her daughter’s rise on the global tennis stage.
Her style? Low-key but all-in.
Alex herself has often spoken about her parents’ role in her journey. After a career-defining quarterfinals win against World No. 2 Iga Świątek at the 2025 Miami Open, she shared while fighting back tears in a post-match interview: “I just want to thank my parents. They’ve sacrificed so much. They were there for me all the way.”
That support was never one-sided. In a 2021 interview, Alex praised both of her parents, saying: “He [my dad] does so much for my career… He is the best dad I could ask for and of course, everything I do, and all my wins, I dedicate to them [my parents].”
Her father, Mike Eala, added in the same interview: “For things to work out the way they have, it can’t be just the father’s job or the mother’s. It’s a team effort.”
And indeed, it has been. When Alex was just 12, she was accepted into the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. For any parent, sending a child overseas at that age would be daunting—but Rizza and Mike made the leap, knowing that sometimes, big dreams require big leaps of faith.
Image: IG @alex.eala
Rizza’s role wasn’t just about funding Alex’s training or traveling to tournaments. Her influence ran deeper—instilling discipline, handling logistics, and providing emotional steadiness, often away from the limelight. The same traits that earned her medals and boardroom respect became the backbone of her daughter’s career.
While tennis is an individual sport, Alex’s success is anything but solo. Behind every ace and backhand winner is a family that made it possible. And behind that family is a woman who’s lived excellence in every chapter of her life—first as a swimmer, then as a corporate leader, and now as the quiet force behind one of Southeast Asia’s brightest sports stars.
Rizza Eala didn’t just raise a champion. She showed her what one looks like.
(Featured Image: Instagram @alex.eala and @wta)
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