‘I want to be Eala’: Philippine star sparks tennis boom at home, but court time at a premium

The rise of tennis star Alexandra Eala in the Women’s Tennis Association’s rankings this year has sparked a rush of interest in the sport in her native Philippines. The country is historically best known for its love of basketball, boxing and cockfighting. But now across the country, racquet sales are up and courts – which are already scarce – are becoming increasingly difficult to book, as young players and their parents are swept up in “Eala-mania”.