MANILA, Philippines — It’s a proud moment for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as he praised tennis ace Alexandra Eala on Sunday for becoming the first Filipino to clinch a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Challenger championship.

“History has been written by Alex Eala as she becomes the first Filipino to win a singles title!” Marcos wrote in a Facebook post, shortly after winning Guadalajara (GDL) 125 Open in Mexico, earning her $15,500 in prize money and lifting her to a ranking of No. 61 in the WTA.

The Guadalajara win is the latest in what has proven to be a remarkable season for the 20-year-old professional tennis player. She won her first Grand Slam match at the 2025 US Open, where she defeated Clara Tauson in the second round. She also finished runner-up at the Eastbourne Open in the United Kingdom.

At Guadalajara, Eala competed against Panna Udvardy of Hungary in a three-set finale, 1-6, 7-5 and 6-3 early Sunday (Philippine time) at Grandstand Caliente in Mexico.

READ: Marcos lauds Alex Eala’s win: ‘History has been written’

Marcos also said that Eala’s victory was a win for the country, as he committed to extending support for more Filipino athletes to follow in her footsteps.

“We will do everything so more Filipino athletes will follow in your footsteps and show the world the heart and talent of Filipinos,” the President said.

Marcos has evidently been watching Eala since the start of the current season.

In March, the president was among the first to release a statement after Eala’s “historic and amazing run” at the 2025 Miami Open.

“We would like to congratulate our tennis phenomenon, Alex Eala, on her historic and amazing run in the 2025 Miami Open,” President Marcos said, noting that although she lost to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula in the semifinal bout, the feat still made the country proud. INQ