Filipina tennis star Alex Eala during a press conference with BPI in Makati On Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.MANILA — As Alex Eala continues her rise on the international stage, the spotlight has only grown brighter from both fans and critics.
From scrutiny over her unorthodox serve to online discussions surrounding her "privileged" background, the 21-year-old has had to deal with growing outside noise.
READ: Eala embraces 'slow serve' to dethrone world no. 3 Iga Swiatek
But how does the WTA World No. 28 handle it? Eala said the answer is simple: keeping her circle tight.
"Having good people around you, people you trust, people who have your best interests at heart, that's incredibly important," said Eala during a press conference with BPI on Tuesday in Makati.
For Eala, surrounding herself with the right people has been key, saying they have helped her navigate both her career and life off the court.
"They are the ones who trust you and tell you both the good and the bad things," she said. "If I need to improve on something, I've heard it from them, I've heard it from myself or I've noticed it myself, so they have every right to give me constructive criticism because they ultimately want to guide me."
Above all, Eala said she has learned to trust herself the most.
"Self-love is something that you should nurture and, more than anything, I believe in myself," she stressed. "That's at the core of my mentality and how I approach competitions."
Whether in sports or beyond, Eala emphasized that the same approach applies.
"Confidence is very important. Whether you're in the spotlight or not, self-love and confidence are very important," she said.