In 2022, Eala was on the cover of Vogue Philippines after becoming the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam title.
But it was her victory over Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open in 2025, that brought a new passion for tennis to the Philippines.
There has been a lot of love for the young star from her community, with queues to see her play growing and fans following her all over the world.
There are more than 75,000 members of the Filipino community in Washington, with a further four million across the US who will be watching her in the US Open in late August.
“To all the Filipino fans that came out and have supported, you guys are helping grow tennis around the world,” Pegula said after the match.
Fellow Filipino and former boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao, wrote on social media that her comeback showed the “heart of a Filipino” before calling her “our new champion”.