Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino is defending Alexandra “Alex” Eala‘s decision to play for the Philippines at the Asian Games in Nagoya. The move puts the rising tennis star on a collision course with the Women’s Tennis Association.

Tolentino says the 21-year-old is simply giving back to the country that has rallied behind her every step of the way. He pointed to the wave of support fans have dubbed “Eala Mania” as proof of her growing impact across Asia.

Tolentino Frames Eala’s Nagoya Trip as Flag and Country

“We can always say that Alex Eala is giving back to her country, to the support of Filipinos in the country and wherever she competes,” Tolentino said. He credited that loyalty for turning Eala into one of the region’s most closely followed athletes.

Tolentino didn’t dodge the risk tied to the decision, either. “The WTA has its rules and breaking the rules has penalties. But Alex will be in Nagoya, for flag and country,” he said, standing firmly by her choice.

The Philippine Tennis Association has formally appealed to the WTA for an exemption on Eala’s behalf. Senator Bong Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Sports, has publicly echoed that same request.

Nagoya-Beijing Clash Puts Eala’s World Ranking on the Line

The scheduling conflict is at the heart of the standoff. Asian Games tennis kicks off September 27 at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center, while the China Open in Beijing runs September 30 through October 11.

As a WTA1000 event, the China Open is mandatory for players ranked in the world’s top 30 — a group that includes Eala at No. 18. Skipping it without an exemption could cost her a points deduction, or worse, a zero-pointer.

Eala won’t face her biggest Asian rivals in Nagoya, since Zheng Qinwen and Wang Xinyu have both skipped the Games. She previously claimed bronze behind Zheng and China’s Zhu Lin at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.