Lolo Rusty, 80, finally meets his idol Alex Eala after years of praying for her

The retired nurse, who followed the Filipina tennis star’s career long before her Wimbledon breakthrough, finally got the chance to thank her in person during a fan meet in Makati.

While Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala was greeted by roaring crowds during a fan meet in Makati, 80-year-old Rusty Mallillin quietly waited backstage, hoping for just a few moments with the athlete who had inspired him through one of the most difficult periods of his life.

A retired nurse who spent years in London, “Lolo Rusty” said he had followed Eala’s career long before she became one of the world’s top tennis players. Even then, he believed she would one day compete at Wimbledon.

That belief never wavered, even after he fell seriously ill during a vacation last year.

“I always pray for her,” Lolo Rusty told radar Business. “Every time she’s playing, I’m in a prayer position. Pinagdarasal ko na huwag siyang kakabahan, at lumaban siya nang husto.”

During Globe’s Home Court: The Alex Eala Fan Meet Experience at Glorietta on Wednesday, that dream finally came true.

When the two met, Lolo Rusty congratulated the Filipina tennis star on her achievements and told her he was proud of everything she had accomplished.

He also received Eala’s autograph, a keepsake he said he would treasure forever.

The emotional encounter became one of the quieter moments in an event otherwise filled with cheering fans, games, selfies, and autograph sessions celebrating Eala’s historic Wimbledon campaign.

And for one lifelong tennis fan, a simple conversation with the athlete he had prayed for over the years was every bit as meaningful as watching her compete on the sport’s biggest stage.

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