Alex Eala Had The Classiest Reaction To Her Indian Wells Win On IWD—And Named Her Closest Friends In The Circuit

Usually, being a big winner is reserved for those holding the trophy at the end of a match, but Alex Eala's recent win at the Indian Wells Open tournament reminded us that true power isn't just about the points on the scoreboard—it's also about the friendships she's built and the inspiration she gets in return with other women in the field.

ICYMI: the Filipina tennis player advanced to the round of 16 at the Indian Wells Open in California after her opponent, Coco Gauff—ranked world No. 4 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA)—retired due to an arm injury sustained during the match.

At the time, the score was 6-2, 2-0 in Alex's favor when Coco had to call for a medical timeout. While this may have been an advantage for Alex, she chose to use the pause to extend her appreciation to all women, including her opponent, Coco, who is a prominent figure in the sport.

"Bear with me because I have a lot to say. I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way and who have advocated for themselves and for other women," Alex said.

The Filipina tennis player also expressed empathy for her American opponent, celebrating the match with her while honoring Coco's contributions to the sport.

"Among them is Coco. So thank you, Coco, for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model," Alex expressed.

She added, "I really hope that everything is well and you will recover soon."

Alex acknowledged she did not want to win this way, with anyone getting injured, yet she recognized the privilege of playing against such a formidable competitor.

"This is still a really big moment for me to be able to play on Stadium 1 of Indian Wells against such a great competitor. I'm really grateful to be here, and I'm super happy," Alex expressed.

In a separate interview, Coco expressed her appreciation for the sportsmanship Alex showed during the match and even commended the large crowd of Filipino fans who came out to support the game.

"I know you were mostly supporting Alex but I have to say, it's great to be on a crowded court. I've played this tournament for many years, and to see the stadium full… it means a lot. I'd like to thank Alex for bringing a new demographic to the sport. It's great," Coco said.

"Sometimes it's tough when you're playing against a home crowd. I think it's great for the sport. Keep being enthusiastic and keep rooting for your player," she added. 

Alex has consistently shown sportsmanship both on and off the court, and it reflects in the relationships she has built with fellow athletes along the way. In an exclusive interview with Tennis Channel, she shared that while the sport naturally brings out a competitive spirit among players, she is grateful to have formed genuine friendships on tour—something she intentionally worked on as part of her personal growth. She revealed that one of her resolutions was to be more social and "come out of her shell."

"And I'm happy to say that I've built a lot of really great friendships on tour... This week I played with Iva Jovic. We're really good friends. She's super fun,"Alex shared.

Just to rewind a bit, Iva was also her partner at the ASB Classic, where the two faced off against veterans Venus Williams and Elina Svitolina.

Alex also shared that she is close friends with Turkish tennis player Zeynep Sönmez. She added that she feels grateful to be surrounded by women on the WTA tour and to experience "girlhood" while pursuing the sport she loves.