NAGOYA: Alexandra Eala admitted on Friday that she gets "overwhelmed sometimes" by the huge weight of expectation placed on her as a trailblazer for tennis in the Philippines.
The 21-year-old leaves the Asian Games having fallen short of her ambition to win gold for her country, instead settling for bronze.
Eala is followed everywhere by adoring fans eager for a piece of the world number 18, who in August became the first player from the Philippines to win a title on the women's WTA Tour.
"I definitely do get overwhelmed sometimes," said Eala.
"But I understand that it's such a privilege to be in the position that I'm in and to be able to live out the dreams that I've always had as a kid.
