Philippine tennis star Ijala advances to Nagoya Asian Games women's singles semi-finals

The Filipino female tennis player Alexandra Eala, who recently shined in the US Open, defeated Joanna Garland, who represented Taiwan, on the 30th, with the cheers of a large number of fans who came to support her, and advanced to Aichi, Japan. Nagoya Asian Games tennis women's singles semi-finals.

Ijala, ranked 18th in the world, has always been regarded as a favorite to win the women's singles gold medal in tennis at this Asian Games. She defeated British-born Joanna Grant 7-5, 6-0 on the 30th and successfully advanced. As long as she can win the women's singles tennis title at this Asian Games, she will be eligible to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

A large number of Filipino fans in blue were waving flags in the stands to cheer for Iiala, who just became the first Filipino in history to win a WTA Tour title last month. Iala enjoys high popularity in the Philippines, prompting people to pay attention to tennis.

Female fan Cristina Dacudao told Agence France-Presse that she came to Nagoya from Manila to watch the game, and called Iiala "a model (worthy) for young men and women in the Philippines to follow", making young people feel that one day they can be like Iiala... "You don't have to be tall or white (to succeed)."

In order to represent the Philippine national team in the Asian Games, Iala, who reached the third round of the US Open earlier in September, gave up the China Open in Beijing. Edler Panlilio, who lives in the Philippines and claims to be an old friend of the Iala family, said that Iala's participation in the Nagoya Asian Games fully demonstrated her patriotism.

Panlilio, who specially brought his family to Japan to watch Iyala compete, said that Iyala's choice to represent the country instead of participating in the tour "suffices to say how special she is."

Not all the fans who were there to cheer for Ijala came from afar. There are a large number of Filipino expatriates in Japan, and Nagoya is one of the main gathering points. Female fan Dakudao said that it feels like the whole world is Iyala's home court... "Look at her attitude towards fans, she never refuses anyone... She doesn't seem to have changed at all."