Eala's Wimbledon breakthrough revives legacy of Philippine tennis greats

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Alexandra “Alex” Eala continued her rise in world tennis after making history as the first Filipino to reach the fourth round, or Round of 16, of the Wimbledon women’s singles following a stunning straight-set victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland on Saturday.

Eala’s Wimbledon breakthrough victory reverberated across the Philippines, reigniting interest in tennis and inspiring a new generation of Filipino players.

While Eala is the first Filipino to reach the second week of Wimbledon singles, she is not the first Filipino to compete at the All England Club.

PH tennis greats before Alex Eala

Back in the 1940s and 1950s, Philippine tennis greats Felicisimo Ampon and Raymundo Deyro represented the country on the sport’s biggest stages, competing at Wimbledon and other Grand Slam events, particularly in men’s doubles.

Regarded as one of Asia’s finest doubles tandems during their era, Ampon and Deyro played together in tournaments across Europe, Asia, and North America.

Deyro captured two gold medals at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, winning both the men’s singles and men’s doubles titles. He defeated his longtime doubles partner, Ampon, in the singles final. Another highlight of his career was his triumph at the 1953 Oslo tournament, where he had previously defeated Ampon in the championship match.

READ: Alex Eala stuns defending champion Iga Swiatek to reach Wimbledon R16

Deep international runs

Ampon, meanwhile, became the first Filipino to reach the quarterfinals of the French Championships in both 1952 and 1953. He also advanced to the fourth round of the US Open four times, won the Wimbledon Plate in 1948, and captured the 1950 Pan American Tennis Championships.

Over nearly three decades, Ampon established himself as the Philippines’ greatest Davis Cup player, compiling a national record of 40 match victories.

Deyro also enjoyed deep runs in the French Championships, Wimbledon, and the US Open, while representing the Philippines in 37 Davis Cup ties.

Cebu has likewise produced its share of outstanding tennis talents, particularly during the early and mid-2000s.

READ: Alex Eala a ‘unifier of a deeply divided nation’ – Lacson

More standouts

The Siso siblings — Bernardine, Niño, Sally Mae, and Sally Ann — made names for themselves through dominant performances in age-group tournaments across the country. Bernardine and Sally Mae eventually turned professional, with the latter competing in the PSC-Philta Women’s Open doubles tournament.

Another standout Cebuano is Jacob Lagman, one of the province’s most accomplished tennis players internationally. A product of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, Lagman went on to play NCAA Division I tennis for Saint Mary’s College in California before serving as a coach for the University of the Philippines.

READ: Marcos hails Alex Eala’s historic Wimbledon run: ‘True inspiration’

Other notable Cebuano tennis players include Jan Godfrey Seno, Marc Suson, Chad Connor Cuizon, and Arthur Craig Pantino, all of whom have represented Cebu and the Philippines in various national and international competitions.

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