LIVE: Alex Eala at Eastbourne Open final vs Maya Joint MANILA, Philippines — Struggling to fight off her tears, Alex Eala still flashed a smile as she received her Lexus Eastbourne Open runner-up trophy after a heartbreaking loss to Australia’s rising star Maya Joint in a grueling final.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday offered words of encouragement to tennis sensation Alex Eala, following her record-breaking run at the Lexus Eastbourne Open, where she became the first Filipino to reach a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 250 singles final.

A BAPTISM by fire awaits Alex Eala, as she makes her Wimbledon debut against defending champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in the first round.