NAGOYA, Japan – Alex Eala is willing to pay a price for national pride. The Philippine tennis sensation is set to compete at the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games, even though the decision puts her at risk of penalties from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino says the move speaks volumes about Eala’s character. He credited her for choosing country over convenience, even as the sanctions loom large over her rising career.

Tolentino Hails Eala’s Patriotic Stand

“We can always say that Alex Eala is giving back to her country, to the support Filipinos in the country and wherever she competes, they have amazingly established that global ‘Eala Mania,'” Tolentino said.

The POC chief didn’t shy away from acknowledging the risks involved. “The WTA has its rules and breaking the rules has penalties,” he said. “But Alex will be in Nagoya, for flag and country.”

Asian Games tennis begins September 27 at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya. That schedule directly conflicts with the China Open in Beijing, set for September 30 to October 11.

Why Eala Faces WTA Sanctions

Eala’s participation in Nagoya comes at a cost. A WTA1000 event, much like the four Grand Slam tournaments, requires mandatory appearance from players ranked in the world’s top 30.

Skipping that mandatory event could mean a deduction in ranking points, or even a zero-point penalty. That outcome threatens to stall Eala’s climb toward a spot in the world’s top 10.

Notably, Eala won’t be facing the tournament’s biggest names in Nagoya. Reigning Olympic and Asian Games champion Zheng Qinwen, along with fellow Chinese player Wang Xinyu, the Paris mixed doubles silver medalist, are both absent from the field.

Eala has unfinished business on Asian soil. She took home bronze in Hangzhou three years ago, finishing behind Zheng and fellow Chinese player Zhu Lin.