Wimbledon 2026: Alex Ila’s historic run thrills the Philippines

During her Wimbledon run, Ella wore a white sun visor by sponsor Nike emblazoned with a Tagalog phrase that translates to “Once it’s big, it can’t be stopped”.

She also wore a hair band with a white ornament shaped like a sampaguita or Philippine jasmine in honor of her roots.

“It’s a big part of who I am. I think a big part of who I am and who I want to be in the future is where I come from,” a Reuters report said.

“It’s amazing for me to be able to do this for my country, but I guess every time I’m able to take a new step or break new ground, it’s a personal goal and also a personal achievement.”

Ella has steadily climbed the Women’s Tennis Association rankings over the years.

He trained at the tennis academy named after his idol Rafael Nadal in Spain.

In 2022, she became the first to win a junior Grand Slam title with her US Open win, which landed the then-teen back home on the cover of Vogue.

But it was his victory over former world number one Suatek in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open last year that really brought him to fame.

And as he progressed in his tennis career, so did the popularity of the sport in the country.

In January, thousands of Filipinos descended on Melbourne Park during the Australian Open, hoping to watch her practice, creating a logjam outside the court six and a line that stretched hundreds of yards through the field.

In January the country hosted the first Philippine Open, a WTA event.

Ella drew Filipino fans to Wimbledon where they waved red, yellow and blue national flags.

Some are also injecting Filipino humor. A sign red “Do it for Kare-Kare” — a rich Filipino oxtail and peanut stew that Ila mentioned in a viral TikTok video.

Ila acknowledged his countrymen in the bleachers in a court interview after defeating the Australian joint.

“This is absolutely incredible. Thank you so much, so much.” Thank you very much for it in Tagalog.