Alex Eala gets the ultimate comparison as she is placed along a tennis GOAT
Alex Eala’s impact is reverberating around the tennis world and now she has been compared to the ultimate GOAT of the women’s game.
Eala’s stunning breakthrough on the WTA Tour at the 2025 Miami Open alerted the tennis world to her potential and she has taken that to a whole next level over the last few weeks.
After enjoying her best run at a Grand Slam as she reached the last-16 at Wimbledon and beat defending champion Iga Siwatek at the All England Club, this engaging 21-year-old then achieved another big milestone as she claimed her first WTA Tour title at the Washington Open earlier this week.
Eala’s impressive display in Washington saw her beat Olympic champion Wang Xinyu, defending Washington champion Leylah Fernandez, the dangerous Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka before she beat Jessica Pegula in the final.
Now former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has joined the chorus of acclaim for Eala, as he handed her the ultimate praise by comparing her popularity and fame to 23-time Grand Slam winning legend Serena Williams.
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“There’s only one other person that I can compare to her sort of star status. It’s Serena Williams,” declared Rusedski on his podcast.
“Wherever Serena played, everybody was cheering and going for her, and no matter where she plays, whether it’s in America, whether it’s in Europe.
“Now we are seeing this happening with Eala. The Filipino population follows her. She is the biggest sports star in the country by far of any male or female superstar that they have.
“It’s great to see the passion of those fans because every time she plays, they’re there supporting. They’re ready to go. We already talked about the sellout for opening match in Toronto. It just shows you that star power.
“People are putting their hard-earned money to come watch her because they love her, they like her personality, they like her game.
She’s just got it. You know, some people just have that thing. They show up and they have that superstar status right away and she has that. This is such a blessing for the WTA.
“I can’t wait to see how the role continues in Toronto and Cincinnati getting ready for the US Open. But she has put herself in the mix. You win a hardcore tournament going into the US Open. That breeds a lot of confidence.”
The hype around Eala may add a weight of expectation on her young shoulders, but Rusedski makes no excuse for praising a young player who has taken the tennis world by storm.
“She’s a joy to watch. She’s a lovely person. She speaks exceptionally well,” he added. “And as I said before, she has it. I’m happy to talk about her every single week. She’s a joy for our sport, and we’re lucky to have her.”
