Eala discusses fruitful season & game mentality with Andy Roddick

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Alex Eala shared insights during a sit-down interview with tennis legend Andy Roddick at the US Open Media Day for his YouTube podcast, “Andy Roddick’s Served.”

In the nine-minute interview uploaded on Aug. 29, 2026, Eala discussed her breakout season, what it means to represent the Philippines and her mindset despite having one of the biggest followings in the sport.

“It’s been a journey to learn my relationship with the fame especially,” Eala said.

“I understand the importance of what I represent, who I represent, what values I carry on court, the culture I carry on court, but at the same time, it was important for me to understand that it’s the culture that’s important.”

Roddick was also amazed by how Eala could handle the pressure of having one of the biggest fan bases in the world and still come out on top on the WTA circuit.

“The higher I am in the mountain, the steeper it gets,” Eala answered.

“One thing is that my commitment to tennis and the work ethic that I’ve been having since I was young, it just keeps my feet on the ground.”

Roddick lauded Eala’s mental fortitude during the past few months, noting that she had been handed some of the most competitive draws in her recent tournaments, particularly in Washington, Canada and Cincinnati.

The American legend was also curious about how Eala raises her game against top-10 WTA players, seven of whom she had defeated during the 2026 season.

“These matches, when you play well, are the matches of substance,” Eala replied.

“They’re very rewarding for me, even when maybe I don’t win. There are a lot of matches where I lost and I looked back, and it’s okay. I need to work on my A, B, and C.”

Roddick was one of the tennis icons who highlighted Eala’s unique playing style and rising stardom on his official YouTube podcast.

The two tennis stars first spoke five months earlier when Roddick invited Eala to appear on one of his podcast episodes.

Roddick became a consistent commentator on Eala’s game, even calling her a “tricky” player to face when she began the year in strong form in New Zealand, Qatar, Dubai and Italy.

“You’ve created a movement,” Roddick said of Eala in closing.

“You’re still humble about it; you’re still all about the work. I’m a massive fan. Best of luck and enjoy this journey, I just love everything about you.”