Alex Eala’s many fans descend on US Open, bearing Filipino flags, lots of love

[AP Photo]

The Alex Eala fans came bearing Filipino flags, and wearing hats telling her to fight on (“Laban Alex”). They cheered her sizzling groundstrokes, documented her volleys and serves in photos and video, and in some cases FaceTimed with friends or family.

And this was only at the practice courts.

It was about four hours before Eala was to take the court for her first-round U.S. Open match Monday night, and every seat at the practice court was filled. Many of Eala’s fans didn’t have tickets for the evening session. But they’d come to see their idol hit some tennis balls.

It was hardly surprising, given the enormous, ardent, ever-growing fan base that now surrounds the charismatic 21-year-old. This summer has seen Eala beat Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon and win her first tour singles title. She’s at a career-best 18th in the world, and she breezed into the second round of the U.S. Open with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Mary Stoiana — closing it out with a confident smile.

One of the fans watching practice on a rainy afternoon was Andrea Belen, at 21 the same age as Eala. Belen, a premed student at New York University, explained that she hadn’t been a big tennis fan until Eala came along — someone who looked just like her.

Belen’s father back home in Cleveland (the family’s originally from Laguna in the Philippines) also became a tennis fan out of pure admiration for Eala. “It’s his new obsession,” Belen said. “It’s become the family hobby.”

She and her friend, Sarah Frederick, had arrived at the practice court long before Eala was to appear, surmising correctly that the seats would fill quickly.

Belen explained that in the Philippines, basketball and boxing reign supreme, and the sports heroes are men. “It’s just really nice to see a woman out there,” Belen said. “Also, she speaks in our native language, Tagalog.”

As Belen chatted and Eala pounded her groundstrokes, a voice from the row behind Belen called out: “Yay, Alex!”

Ellene Santos had come to the tournament from Orlando, Florida. Like Belen and Frederick, she did not have tickets for the evening match. But Santos, 67, was thrilled to get her Eala fix, just the same. “I’m happy now,” she said.

With practice over, four retired nurses, all friends, headed for the exit. They were wearing bright blue hats emblazoned with the phrase, “Laban Alex,” an exhortation to “fight.”

“I love how Alex shows she is so proud to be from the Philippines,” said Joy Rodriguez, 65, explaining her ardent fandom. Her friend, Maria Espiritu, 67, said this was the first tennis tournament she’d ever attended.

Nearby, Frances Arespacochaga, 77, was taking photos with fellow attendees. Arespacochaga lives in Manila, and was in the United States visiting her sister in Massachusetts. Together they drove down to see Eala at the U.S. Open — bearing flags.

“She’s very intelligent, very articulate,” Arespacochaga said of Eala. “In her interviews you can see her values.” JOCELYN NOVECK, NEW YORK, MDT/AP