MANILA, Philippines — An Asian Games gold remained elusive for Alex Eala, but the bronze she brought home for the country came with something just as clear: the support of her kababayans.
Eala ended her 2026 Asiad campaign in Nagoya, Japan, after falling to China’s Wang Xiyu in the semifinals on Oct. 1. But in the biggest match of her tournament, she also drew her strongest support from ArenaPlus users.
An overwhelming majority of match-winner bets on ArenaPlus, the #1 PAGCOR-licensed online sportsbook in the Philippines, backed Eala, who entered the semifinal as the higher-ranked player. The world No. 18 took the opening set, but world No. 85 Wang rallied to win the next two, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and went on to claim gold.
The backing had steadily grown as Eala moved deeper into the singles draw. ArenaPlus data showed that her semifinal attracted nearly five times as many bets as her opening-round match against Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej, with her quarterfinal against Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland in between.
“Alex’s campaign in the Asian Games showed how much belief Filipinos continue to have in her, especially when the challenge gets tougher,” said Ethan William, Head of ArenaPlus.
The belief was evident even before Eala reached the semifinals. ArenaPlus data showed that users had backed her bid for the women’s singles gold before her opening match.
That support extended beyond singles. Eala and partner Shaira Rivera also drew strong interest in the women’s doubles, with their second-round match against China’s Jiang Xinyu and Yang Zhaoxuan attracting almost as much ArenaPlus activity as the singles semifinal.
Support for Eala remained strong as she progressed through the singles draw. In the quarterfinals, 94% of match-winner bets on ArenaPlus backed her against Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland, while 88% still backed the Filipina against eventual gold medalist Wang Xiyu in the semifinals.
Beyond tennis
In women’s doubles, 80% of match-winner bets backed Eala and partner Shaira Rivera against China’s Jiang Xinyu and Yang Zhaoxuan.
Her reach also went beyond the usual tennis crowd. ArenaPlus data showed that some users engaged with tennis on the platform for the first time this year through Eala’s matches, while many of her supporters typically followed basketball.
Eala’s semifinal also emerged as the most-followed individual event among the Asian Games events tracked by ArenaPlus. Only volleyball and football matches, both team events, drew more fans overall.
“Alex’s run showed how a Filipino athlete’s journey can bring fans together, even across different sports. The data reflects the interest she generated and the pride Filipinos take in seeing her compete on the international stage,” William said.
Eala may have fallen short against Wang, but ArenaPlus data showed that she continued to draw strong support when the stakes were highest. She lost the semifinal, but not the faith of the Filipinos who backed her all the way.
