The Tagalog quote helping fire the Philippines' Alexandra Eala to new history at Wimbledon as young star downs Iga Swiatek
Updated 05/07/2026 at 10:45 GMT+1
React to this story
A Tagalog phrase is helping fire the Philippines' Alexandra Eala to new history at Wimbledon, after the 21-year-old soared into the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time by beating defending champion Iga Swiatek on Centre Court.
Highlights: Eala arrives, Rybakina shocked and Dimitrov wins thriller
Video credit: SNTV
Eala has already made plenty of history in her young career, and as well as her own personal career milestone achieved in her win over Swiatek, she has also become the first Filipino woman ever to make it to the second week of a major.
Eala is aware she carries the hopes and dreams of her country with her, with a dedicated band of supporters following her fortunes from courtside and at home.
And she carries her culture with her physically too, with a meaningful phrase woven into the back of her visor in her native language.
"It's a quote in Tagalog," she revealed earlier this week.
"It says, 'Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto.' That loosely translates to 'once it grows, it cannot be stopped,' or 'it's unstoppable.'
"Of course we're running with the theme of the sampaguita flower (the national flower of the Philippines), which last year I wore on my head.
"I think it's so sentimental to be able to wear things or to carry parts of my culture with me on court, because of course it's a huge reason as to who I am.
"I think where I come from is a big part of who I am and a big part of who I want to become in the future.
"And for me to be able to represent the Philippines at Wimbledon and on the biggest stages in the world, it means so much to me."
Being such an emblem for your country at such a young age might faze some, but Eala appears to be taking it all in her stride.
"This is my journey," she added. "I'm happy to be able to share it with everyone who wants to take part.
"But I think one of the biggest things that makes it natural and easier to handle is that it's genuine. So my whole story is very genuine. It's very close to my heart.
"I'm not trying to be anyone who I'm not. I'm not trying to stray from my values. So I think that makes it easier for me to carry myself, and for me to handle these situations.
"There's pressure in everyday life, and even more so as a competitive athlete. I think in that regard, everybody, you have had to find your way to work around pressure. So it's no different with me."
- Djokovic tells Serena critics to 'cool off' with their 'judgement'
- 'I completely hate my life!' - Cobolli gives bizarre interview after Wimbledon win
Eala gave an emotional on-court interview after beating Swiatek, as she reflected on where she had come from.
"I went to train every day after school with my ruffled socks, light-up shoes and chubby cheeks - to younger me this is everything," she said.
"It is incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on, knowing that we are all in this together.
"This goes out to them, my family and all the girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world."
Next for Eala is a clash with 13th seed Jasmine Paolini on Monday, a match sure to be intently followed by her growing legion of fans.
Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.
Enjoy daily highlights from Wimbledon 2026 on tntsports.co.uk and the TNT Sports app, plus watch and stream highlights each evening and the men's and women's singles finals live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement