Former World No. 11 Sam Querrey delivered a bold take on rising star Alex Eala.
Starting the year at No. 53, Eala has risen to No. 20 amid the 2026 Cincinnati Open.
Speaking on the Tennis Channel Live Desk, the 10-time ATP singles champion called Eala one of the biggest women’s tennis stars in the world today.
“She is such a superstar,” Querrey said, via Tennis365. “We were talking about this during her match now. Is she the biggest star in tennis right now? I kind of think maybe she is. She’s playing like it right now.”
The former player added, “She’s definitely in that group right now, I think, of ten women that you could say could win every tournament she signs up for.”
Querrey also thought that the hype surrounding Eala is no longer hype. He believes the Filipina star is here to stay, especially after winning her first WTA 500 title earlier this month at the 2026 Mubadala DC Open.
Sam Querrey Sends Warning to Rest of the Field
GettyAlexandra Eala of the Philippines acknowledges the crowd after losing to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during day eight of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 09, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.
In addition to believing the Alex Eala hype, Sam Querrey also cautioned the rest of the women’s division. He believes Eala is here to stay, and there will be pressure against her opponents due to the Filipino crowd she brings at every match.
“She’s got extra pressure on her every tournament, and her court is packed with, not only Filipino fans, but just fans from all over the world at this point,” Querrey, via Tennis365.
“And for a lot of players, that can be difficult. Sometimes, it’s tough as a player when the crowd is cheering for you all the time. You feel like you owe it to the crowd to win, and you want to play well for them.”
At just 21 years old, there’s a lot of room to grow for Eala. She’s one of the most improved players of the season already and could continue to rise if she wins another tournament.
What’s Next for Alex Eala?
GettyAlexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates against Caty McNally of the United States during day six of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 07, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario.
On Monday evening around 8:30 p.m., Alex Eala will face current No. 6 Amanda Anisimova in the Round of 32 of the 2026 Cincinnati Open.
Eala dominated Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-1, 3-0 in the previous round, with the Romanian star retiring during the delay because of an injured right foot.
Meanwhile, Anisimova made it look easy against Zeynep Sonmez in her Round of 64 match, winning 6-2, 6-3.
Monday will be the first-ever match between Eala and Anisimova. The young Filipina star looks to get another win against a Top 10 player. She already has nine wins against Top 10 players since last year.
Eala has defeated Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina twice, as well as Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula.
10-Time ATP Champion Makes Bold Alex Eala Statement