Coco Gauff compares Alex Eala’s national impact to boxing icon Manny Pacquiao

Coco Gauff opens up on Alex Eala’s massive pressure as a Filipino tennis trailblazer.

US tennis player Coco Gauff believes Alex Eala carries a level of national pressure that she cannot fully relate to, pointing to the Filipino tennis player’s role in breaking barriers for Philippine athletes.

Asked whether she could empathize with the expectations placed on Eala by massive Filipino support, Gauff gave a blunt answer, “No, I can’t at all.”

The American tennis star explained that Eala is among the first Filipino players to break significant barriers, particularly in women’s tennis.

“She’s doing similar things to what Manny Pacquiao is doing for her country,” Gauff said, comparing Eala’s growing influence to the boxing icon’s place in Philippine sports.

Gauff noted that her path has been different because she grew up in the United States surrounded by established sporting icons.

“I’m lucky to be from the U.S. where we had a lot of icons to look up to,” she said. “People who have already broken down doors for me to be here where I am.”

Still, Gauff acknowledged one pressure they share, “the expectation to win.”

“The only way I can [relate to Eala] is maybe just like the hype of everyone expecting you to win every single match,” she said.

But from her perspective, Eala’s burden is heavier. “I definitely think she has more pressure. From the outside looking in, she has more pressure,” Gauff added.

Beyond their competition, Gauff also spoke warmly about her friendship with Eala, saying their families remind her of each other. The pair recently played doubles together and had dinner in Toronto.

“She’s just such a cool, nice girl and someone I’d like to get to know even more,” Gauff said, adding that she has “a lot of respect for her and what she’s doing.”

Gauff’s remarks underline how Eala’s rise extends beyond individual wins. She is increasingly being viewed as a trailblazer carrying expectations from an entire sporting nation.

Gauff, born Cori Dionne Gauff, has reached career-high rankings of world No. 2 in singles and No. 1 in doubles. She won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 2023 US Open and added a second major crown at the 2025 French Open.