Alex Eala reveals personalised gift from Nike after winning first Tour title

Alex Eala has debuted and discussed the personalised shoes that Nike made to celebrate her first WTA Tour title.

The 21-year-old is enjoying a breakout year on the WTA Tour, having claimed her first Tour title, a 500 event, in DC during the hardcourt swing.

Eala dismantled a Top 10 opponent — adding to her solid record against such opposition this year — Jessica Pegula at the Washington Open, prevailing 6-4, 4-6, then a deciding set bagel, 6-0.

The 21-year-old followed up that victory with a Round of 16 exit in Toronto to Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic, then a Round of 32 exit to Amana Anisimova in Cincinnati — both WTA 1000 events.

And in the build-up to the US Open, where many are predicting Eala as a possible champion, the Filipina athlete exited the Mixed Doubles with Canadian talent Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Eala debuted a personalised gift made for her by Nike at the ‘Stars of the Open’ exhibition event in the States on Thursday, made to celebrate her victory in Washington.

The words “WTA 500” and “1st WTA title” were visible in the design, as the Filipina superstar played doubles with her father at the US Open exhibition.

Eala discusses personalised Nike shoes for DC win, ahead of US Open

At the 2025 US Open, Eala was knocked out in the Round of 64 by Spain’s Cristina Busca, losing 6-4, 6-3 after a two-sets-to-one victory against Clara Tauson in the tournament’s first round.

The Filipina superstar is anticipated to go much further this year. Should she prevail, the victory would be second only to Emma Raducanu’s US Open celebrations in 2021, for underdog victories at the Grand Slam event this decade.

Speaking ahead of what many expect to be Eala’s breakout Slam, the 21-year-old discussed the shoes she debuted on Thursday, as well as her relationship with Nike.

“Yeah, I walked out yesterday in a gift from Nike that I received,” Eala told reporters. “It’s a shoe to celebrate my first title in Washington, and it was so personalised and had all these super sick details.

Eala then recalled her victory at the 2022 US Open victory, in the Juniors tournament, and how her relationship with Nike stems back to that event.

“It’s crazy because they also gave me a gift when I won the 2022 Juniors US Open. So it’s kind of a similar moment; I really appreciate that from them,” said the 21-year-old.

“We have a great relationship and I love the team at Nike so much. Yeah, it’s super sentimental,” blushed Eala.

Eala has already stacked up an extensive list of lucrative sponsorship deals, after a season in which she has ascended to the very forefront of women’s tennis.

Ahead of her appearance at the US Open, Martina Navratilova, Patrick McEnroe and other former professionals have urged Grand Slam organisers to place Eala on larger courts.

That is to accommodate for the extraordinary fanbase that the Filipina superstar possesses, who have travelled the globe to see Eala play on the WTA Tour.

As one of, if not the most famous female athlete to ever hail from the Philippines, that fanbase is expected to be present at the US Open.