Novak Djokovic welcomes huge crowds around Alex Eala: 'It's a good problem to have'
Rising tennis star Alex Eala continues to draw attention on the court, and after her appearance in the Australian Open, even former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is taking notice.
Eala recently competed in the first Grand Slam of the year, where she faced Alycia Parks from the US. The number of attendees, however, exceeded the organizer's expectations, with some fans spilling outside the gate and settling for viewing the match on big screens outside.
Djokovic shared his thoughts on the matter when asked about tennis matches getting "overcrowded" in a press conference, believing that the record-breaking turnout was a "good problem to have."
"I saw the other day with Alex Eala, that’s been the talk, which is understandable. There’s some players coming from respective countries, like she’s coming from the Philippines, which is now a big deal," he said.
"She’s been the biggest ever tennis player from that country, and there’s big interest. Things like that happen," he added.
Djokovic also noted that matches during the first few days of a Grand Slam often draw heavy attention, especially when a rising star is involved.
"She’s so young, and she’s just coming through. Obviously, the first couple rounds of the schedule is so packed, the big courts, with big names, it’s difficult," Djokovic said.
"It’s not easy to manage that. But again, it’s a good problem to have. Just imagine if there’s a lack of people coming or the stands are empty. That’s a bigger problem," he added.
Nevertheless, Djokovic underscored that the situation is ultimately a positive sign for the sport.
"Every tournament wants record-breaking attendance and ticket sales, and that’s what I’ve been hearing this year and the last couple of years for most of the Slams and tournaments," he said.
He continued, "It’s a good sign. Obviously, we want more attention, more people coming and wanting to watch tennis live and follow it on livestream."
Eala, the world's no. 49, ended her Australian Open women's singles run after Parks, the world's no. 99, edged her out with a 6-0, 3-6, 2-6 win. During the women’s doubles, Eala and her Brazilian partner Ingrid Martins also bowed to Magda Linette of Poland and Shuko Aoyama of Japan.
The Filipina is now scheduled to appear in the first-ever Philippine Women's Open later in January as a wildcard.