Alex Eala: A Rising Star in Tennis and Fashion

In New York, Alex Eala is doing more than chasing forehands.

The 21-year-old Filipino, in town for the 2026 US Open, has caught the eye of one of the most powerful figures in fashion: Anna Wintour.

The long-time Vogue editor, a fixture in the front row and in the players’ box at the majors, was courtside on Tuesday (Aug. 25) for an exhibition match between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. Amid the nostalgia of two greats sharing the court again, Wintour’s attention drifted to a new face.

Eala’s.

“It’s really interesting, especially when you look at players like Serena [Williams] and Naomi [Osaka] who really embrace fashion and express themselves with it,” Wintour said in an interview, in a clip shared on the tournament’s official social media pages.

As a photo of Eala appeared in the video, Wintour picked her out without hesitation.

“We had the young Filipino star — you could see even in such a young star, how interested she is in fashion and how she wants to learn about it and follow it.”

For a player still establishing herself on the tour, that is no small nod. Wintour does not hand out compliments lightly. Her closing line underlined the point: “I think it’s great, it’s wonderful how sports and fashion have become this wonderful sort of marriage.”

The two met during the event, captured in another clip shared by Facebook user Rulee Occiano — a brief handshake, a few words, but a moment that underlines how far Eala has come. From junior prodigy to a presence in the sport’s biggest arenas, now brushing shoulders with one of culture’s most influential figures.

Her tennis is keeping pace with the attention. Just days before stepping into her US Open campaign, Eala climbed to a career-high World No. 18 in the latest WTA rankings, confirmation that her rise is no longer quiet or speculative. She belongs in the upper tier.

The fashion talk only reinforces what fans and followers have already noticed. On and off court, the decorated Filipina has been turning heads with a style that leans modern and feminine, but never forced — the kind of look that feels lived-in rather than styled for effect.

For Eala, New York has always been a stage. Now it’s both runway and arena. The question is no longer whether she fits in. It’s how far she can push this blend of sporting edge and cultural presence while her ranking keeps climbing.