MANILA, Philippines – For Alex Eala, being named Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association is a validation of tennis’ rise in the country.

Eala shared the prestigious honor with Olympic gymnastics champion Carlos Yulo as they were hailed the most outstanding athletes of 2025 by the oldest media organization in the Philippines on Monday, February 16.

“This award means so much to me because it reflects on how far tennis and my sport has come in our country and I only hope that this is just the beginning,” said Eala through a recorded video as she missed the awards night due to her ongoing campaign in the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Eala took 2025 by storm as she cracked the world top 50 and claimed multiple historic feats for Philippine tennis.

Her best run came in the Miami Open — a WTA 1000 event — where she stunned Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek of Poland, Madison Keys of the United States, and Jelana Ostapenko of Latvia on the way to the semifinals.

Eala then became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main draw match in the Open era when she beat Denmark’s Clara Tauson in the first round of the US Open.

She wrapped up the year by winning her first-ever gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games, becoming the first Filipina to win the women’s singles crown in the biennial showpiece since Maricis Fernandez ruled in 1999.

Those achievements were more than enough for Eala to get her first PSA Athlete of the Year, an award won by Yulo for the second straight time.

Yulo also enjoyed a glowing 2025 as he claimed the vault title in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships and continued his golden streak in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships, where he topped the floor exercise for the fourth year in a row.

“I’m so honored to be named the PSA Athlete of the Year alongside Carlos Yulo. First of all, congratulations to Carlos, it is a huge honor to share this award with you. I also want to thank my family, my team, and my fellow Filipinos for their tireless support,” said Eala in a mix of Filipino and English.

“Being named Female Athlete of the Year is a moment in my life that I will cherish forever.”

Eala has been hard at work this year as she has competed in six tournaments so far, including the inaugural Philippine Women’s Open, an event made possible by her growing influence and star power. – Rappler.com