'Just to disappear': Alex Eala seeks well-earned rest after historic WTA run
The Manila Times · 11/9/2026, 11:00:03 AM Philippine time
Excerpt from The Manila Times. Read the original report below for the complete story.MANILA, Philippines — Following a whirlwind "fairytale" season that saw her shatter milestones and cap the year as the world No. 15, Philippine tennis star Alexandra "Alex" Eala is ready to step away from the spotlight and simply disappear for a little bit.Eala officially clinched a career-best ranking on Monday following a strong runner-up finish at the 250 Hong Kong Open, capping off a 35-notch leap from her No. 50 finish last season. Despite the historic highs—including a fourth-round run at Wimbledon and her first main Tour title at the 500 D.C. Open—the 21-year-old's immediate priority is well-deserved downtime.With no more tournaments left on her calendar for the rest of the year, Eala is looking forward to laying low and spending quality time with her family away from the courts."Oh, I'm going to spend time with my family," Eala shared. "Yeah, just lay low, disappear for a little bit. And then yeah, those are my plans. Just to disappear."Before stepping…