LOOK: Celebrities who watched, cheered Alex Eala at Wimbledon

From a little girl from the Philippines with “ruffled socks, light-up shoes and chubby cheeks,” Alexandra “Alex” Eala has definitely come a long way in terms of celebrity, with Filipino and international who’s who watching and rooting for her off the tennis court and on their screens.

The 21-year-old Eala made history on Saturday after dethroning defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, 7-6(9), 6-2, at Wimbledon in the United Kingdom, the first old Filipina to have done so.

Her victory was witnessed by some of the greats in tennis, and celebrities sat on the Royal Box of the Centre Court to watch the highly-charged match, among them, Andrew Garfield and girlfriend actress Monica Barbaro, Marvel star Tom Hiddleston, Condé Nast executive and editor Anna Wintour, “The Devil Wears Prada” actress Simone Ashley, British actresses Emma Corrin and Micheala Coel, and American rapper Doechii.

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📸 | Simone Ashley at the Wimbledon Championships on July 4, 2026 in London, UK pic.twitter.com/zbvJSHXMGx

— Simone Ashley Network (@simoneanetwork) July 4, 2026

In the Philippines, no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. congratulated Eala, and stated his prediction last year that she would come a long way.

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“She’s becoming a true inspiration especially for younger Filipinos, at biruin mo, meron na tayong [tennis] player, at babae pa na nanalo ng third round sa Wimbledon. It does not get… tennis does operate at a higher level than Wimbledon. So she’s really world-class na talaga, she’s terrific. If you remember, when she first started winning, sabi ko naguumpisa pa lang, she’s just getting started. Turns out, I was right, marami pang ibubuga ang bata natin. I caught the last set kaninang umaga and it was a great result!

“Congratulations, Alex. Keep it up. We’ll all be here. The whole Filipino nation is cheering you on. We know that you are fighting, making us proud and bring luster and honorary to the Philippines. Keep going, keep going, we are behind you!” he said.

On Wimbledon’s post on Instagram, celebrities, among them tennis great Maria Sharapova and Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, Filipino-American singer-rap artist Apl.de.Ap, and US talk show host Chelsea Handler, also congratulated Eala for her feat.

Eala earlier also met with Catherine, Princess of Wales, who has been a known to be an avid tennis fan, and a prominent fixture at Wimbledon.

She is set to go for a quarterfinal slot against Italian Jasmine Paolini, who is tennis’ No. 17 on Monday, Manila Time.

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