Alexandra Eala is continuing to make a name for herself and her country, the Philippines, after a breakthrough year on the WTA Tour. Recently, she carried the Philippine flag at the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand and was seen sharing heartwarming moments with her parents just before her flag-bearing duties.
The 2025 SEA Games take place from Dec. 9 to Dec. 20 in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and Chonburi province of Thailand. The Games were formally inaugurated by King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand.
Alexandra Eala Embraces Parents Before Going for Philippines Flag Bearer Duties at the 2025 SEA Games
Eala and Filipino volleyball player Bryan Bagunas served as flag bearers for the Philippines during the opening ceremony, which took place at Rajamangala National Stadium. The Philippine delegation walked seventh in the parade of nations.
Eala took to social media and shared a transition video showcasing her experience during the opening ceremony of the 2025 SEA Games.
“Let the games begin 🇵🇭 🃏 😉,” Eala captioned her Instagram post.
A fan also posted a touching video of Eala with her parents, Mike Eala and Rosemarie Maniego-Eala, hugging and taking selfies together before her flag-bearing responsibilities. Interestingly, the 20-year-old’s mother, Rosemarie, won a bronze medal in swimming at the 1985 SEA Games.
The tennis events at the 2025 SEA Games will take place from Dec. 10 to 19 at the National Tennis Development Center in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Alongside the Philippines, competing countries in the tennis events include Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Eala Reflects on Her 2025 Tennis Season
In an interview with Vogue Philippines, Eala expressed that she is “proud” of her accomplishments during the 2025 tennis season. She mentioned being “happy” because her team’s effort paid off on the court this year.
“I like to emulate the best of us Filipinos. I’m so proud of myself and what I’ve accomplished. I’m [also] proud and grateful [to] the team and all the effort that they’ve put in. I’m just happy that, you know, they see results and that I can share this happiness with them also,” Eala said.
The Filipina stated that tennis keeps her “grounded” and expressed that there will always be someone better than her. This realization motivates her to continuously work hard and become the “best version” of herself.
“Tennis is such a beautiful sport because it really keeps you grounded. You lose, you really learn to lose, because you lose almost every week. And that’s what I’ve learned: there’s always going to be someone better than you. And what I try to do is just be the best version of myself,” she added.
During the 2025 tennis season, Eala finished in the top 50 in singles in the WTA rankings and won a title at the 2025 Guadalajara 125 Open, defeating Panna Udvardy in the final. She also reached the finals at the Eastbourne Open and made it to the semifinals at the Canberra Tennis International, the Miami Open, and the Jingshan Tennis Open.