Eala delivers PH’s first SEAG tennis gold in 26 years vs. Thailand’s Sawangkaew

Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala made history as she quenched a 26-year-long title drought after running roughshod over Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew with a 6-1, 6-2 domination to clinch the women’s tennis gold medal during the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at the National Tennis Development Center in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec. 18.

The top-seeded 20-year-old kept her composure throughout the match to exorcise a stubborn three-decade title curse since Filipina Maricris Fernandez reigned at the top of the podium back in 1999.

Also hitting two birds with one stone, Eala avenges her and mixed doubles partner Francis Alcantara’s tough loss last Dec. 17 as the duo succumbed to a late surge against Thailand to settle for bronze.

Carrying the momentum behind a spotless record, the left-handed Pinay settled matters early as she blitzed through her Thai foe with a 3-0 run, before dishing another 3-0 spurt after giving Sawangkaew a sliver of hope in the fourth game to draw first blood.

A nip-and-tuck exchange followed down the second salvo as the third-seeded Thai found her rhythm in the service break to pace Eala’s tenacity to zoom into a 2-2 deadlock.

But that would be the world No. 53’s last show of weakness as Eala broke Sawangkaew’s serve down the fifth game and never looked back to complete a 4-0 burst and seal the deal.

Eala’s younger self smiled at her that day as she improved her SEAG record in 2022 in Vietnam, where the then 16-year-old prodigy closed off her stint with a bronze in the same category.

With the win, Eala capped her 2025 campaign on a high note as she hauled in one gold and two bronzes for the Philippines, where she looks to improve her world No. 53 ranking in next year’s tilts.