From tennis court to front row: Alex Eala makes waves at New York Fashion Week

The Filipina tennis star sits alongside global stars as she embraces fashion for self-expression.

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala is making her mark in a different kind of court as she steps into the fashion spotlight at New York Fashion Week.

Fresh from making waves in tennis, Eala was spotted at several high-profile fashion shows in New York, rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars, musicians, and fashion personalities while showcasing her own evolving style.

Eala attended the Michael Kors show at the Museum of Modern Art, where she sat among a star-studded crowd that included Natalia Bryant, Chloe Fineman, Lori Harvey, and Aaron Tveit.

Beyond simply watching the runway, Eala also opened up about how fashion allows her to express a different side of herself outside the sport.

In a reel shared by Elle, the young tennis star talked about the freedom she finds in using fashion as another form of self-expression.

“I love that, in tennis, we’re able to express ourselves through fashion. I know that in a lot of sports, maybe it’s a little more restrictive. You’re able to show your personality in both worlds, and you know, I’m excited to explore more,” Eala said.

Her fashion week appearances continued at the Calvin Klein show, where The Perfect Magazine featured Eala sitting front row alongside Sadie Sink, Lingling Kwong, Pamela Anderson, and Tate McRae, among other notable personalities.

Eala had also previously taken her place in the front row at the Tory Burch show, where she was seen with Hollywood stars Amanda Seyfried and Lauryn Hill.

Her growing presence in the fashion scene comes after fashion icon and former American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour took notice of Eala’s interest in style.

During an interview with the US Open, Wintour pointed to tennis stars Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka as athletes who have embraced fashion as part of their identities before turning her attention to the young Filipina player.

“Well I think it’s really interesting, especially when you look at players [like] Serena or Naomi, who really embrace fashion and express themselves with it,” Wintour said.

Wintour then highlighted Eala’s growing interest in the industry.

“And we have the young Filipino star… you could see even in such a young star how interested she is in fashion and how she wants to learn about it and follow it,” she added.

For Eala, fashion appears to be becoming another avenue to show personality beyond the tennis court. And with her recent appearances at some of New York Fashion Week’s biggest shows, the young athlete is proving that her style can command attention long after she steps away from the baseline.

Wintour summed up the growing connection between the two worlds: “And I think it’s great, it’s wonderful how sports and fashion have become this wonderful sort of marriage.”

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