00:01Now, there is a Philippine tennis player that is playing in the Wimbledon Championship in London, Alex Ayala, who is
00:14giving us all the inspiration for all of us.
00:23Parang tennis na ang naging paboritong sport ng mga Pilipino. At iisa ang dahilan, ang 21-anyos na Pilipina tennis
00:36star, si Alex Ayala.
00:41Pasok siya at naglaro sa final rounds ng pinakapristiyosong tennis tournament sa buong mundo, ang Wimbledon.
00:52Pinahanga niya, hindi lang tayong mga Pilipino, kundi lahat ng nanood sa kanya.
01:00Nariang halos sumubsob sa court, mahabon lang ang bola.
01:06Ayon nga sa tennis legend na si Maria Sharapova, si Alex Ayala.
01:14Naging makasaysayan ang paglalaro ni Alex sa Wimbledon.
01:18Lalot siya ang kauna-unahang Pilipinong tennis player na pumasok sa round of 16.
01:26Pinalo pa niya ang defending champion at dating world number one na si Iga Shatek.
01:34Matapos ang mga ipinamalas niya sa Wimbledon, umakyat ang kanyang world ranking to number 28.
01:43Pinakamataas din na naabot ng isang Pilipinong tennis player.
01:50Kaya sa kanyang pag-uwi sa Pilipinas, hindi maikakaila.
01:56The Alex Ayala effect is on.
02:00Sa airport pa lang, dinagsana siya.
02:06Pati malakanyang nagbigay sa kanya ng homecoming reception at ginawaran pa ng presidential citation.
02:14Lubos kong ipinagmamalaki ang pagiging Pilipino.
02:18I carry the flag with me wherever I go.
02:21Nito lang miyerkules, nakapanayam ko si Alex.
02:25Hi Alex!
02:26Hi!
02:26Nagulat ka raw pagdating mo sa airport.
02:29Mm-mm, talagang nagulat.
02:31Parang you haven't fully grasped the extent of what you've done for this country.
02:36Hindi talaga.
02:36Meron ang tinatawag ngayon, the Alex Ayala effect.
02:39Ooh!
02:40Ang grabing dating.
02:42Hindi ko talaga inakalang ganung kadaming tao ang sasalubong sa akin sa airport.
02:47I expected maybe some kids, ilang atleta, maybe just the Philippine Sports Commission.
02:53Nagulat talaga ako.
02:54Wala kang awareness how big you've become?
02:57A little bit.
02:58Pero hindi ako madalas nakaka-uwi.
03:01So, tuwing nakaka-uwi ako, siyempre nagugulat ako parating.
03:05Because this is my home and this is where I've grown up.
03:08So I go to the same places that I've been going for forever and naiiba yung experience ko.
03:15Everyone's talking about that magic shot.
03:17Na-realize mo ba what you did?
03:19Yes.
03:20Nadulas ako after the serve.
03:22Parang sayang, super important point.
03:25Tapos nakita ko, medyo mahina yung palo niya.
03:27Sari ko, kaya, kaya, kaya.
03:28And then yan nga, inabot ko.
03:30But I think that's just the mentality I had and it shows the motivation I had to win.
03:34Pero Alex, paano mo kinakaya yung pressure?
03:37Ang hirap nun ah, one match, one tournament after another.
03:40Tapos ngayon, fairly or unfairly, parang sayo pa nakaatang ngayon yung Philippine Pride.
03:45I remember at the core, kung ano talaga yung trabaho ko.
03:49Atleta ako.
03:50And I know how to be an athlete.
03:52I've worked hard to be an athlete.
03:54Halos buong buhay akong tennis player.
03:57I know how to handle my composure.
03:59I know how to hit the ball well.
04:00Anong klaseng mindset meron ka ba?
04:03Do you have, ano, nerves of steel?
04:05Syempre kinakabanan ako.
04:06Like that, in the big stages, kapag kalaban ko si Fiatek,
04:10or kapag kalaban ko si Paulini,
04:12or kapag nasa center court ako,
04:13syempre kinakabahan din ako.
04:15But when I'm in the match,
04:17I have sense enough to trust myself
04:20and sense enough to live in the moment.
04:22Ano bang pakiramdam?
04:23When you're there, the world is watching.
04:25What does tennis do to you?
04:27Ang daming binigay sa akin ng tennis.
04:29Ang daming kong natutunan,
04:30ang daming kong na-meet ng mga tao.
04:32Tennis has given me so much.
04:34And I think I wear my heart out on my sleeve when I play.
04:37So, nakikita mo talaga yung personality ko
04:40kapag naglararo ako ng tennis.
04:42Nasa dugo ni na Alex,
04:44ang pagiging atleta.
04:46Dating Southeast Asia Games bronze medalist
04:49sa swimming,
04:50ang kanyang mommy Riza.
04:51Tennis player din sa Amerika,
04:54ang kanyang kuya na si Miko.
04:56At ang una raw nagturo sa kanyang humawak ng racket,
05:00ang kanyang Lolo Bobby.
05:02Kaya apat na taong gulang pa lang si Alex.
05:05Halos dito na siya lumaki
05:07sa tennis court ng Valle Verde Country Club
05:10sa Pasig.
05:12Dito niya raw unang hinasa
05:14ang kanyang pamatay na topspin
05:17at two-handed backhand.
05:19Naalala namin dati si Alex.
05:21Ang presidente ng Valle Verde Country Club na si Richie,
05:25nasundan daw ang karera ni Alex
05:27mula nung ito'y bata pa.
05:29First friend ko yung lolo kasi niya eh.
05:31Laki-laki talaga ng cheeks siya nun.
05:32Nakakatuwa kasi makakita ng tennis player
05:35na anlit-lit pa lang.
05:36First time siya naglaro,
05:37mga four years old.
05:38Tapos nakakomplete tennis outfit na siya.
05:41Pagkatapos daw ng klase ni Alex,
05:43diretsyo ito agad sa tennis court
05:45para mag-training.
05:47Nung bata siya,
05:48ang tanda ko once a day after school.
05:50Later on,
05:51they became more serious.
05:53Twice a day silang mag-practice
05:54yung commitment nila,
05:55ibang klase.
05:56At kahit daw si Alex ang pinakabata
05:59o pinakamaliit noon,
06:01hindi daw ito nag-atubiling sumabak
06:03sa mga club tournament.
06:05Itong isang photo na to,
06:07pinuntaan namin siya sa Singapore.
06:08Silang magkapatid.
06:09Sinuport namin siya.
06:10I think nag-champion siya dito.
06:12Ayon sa mga dati niyang nakakalaro sa tennis,
06:16noon pa man daw,
06:17kahit si Alex tahimik,
06:19matinik!
06:20At 12 years old,
06:22kasing level niya yung mga men's flow level
06:24dito sa Philippines.
06:25Kasi sobrang lakas na palo niya
06:27for a 12 years old.
06:28Tapos sobrang consistent din.
06:29So, these are photos
06:30from over 10 years ago.
06:33It makes me feel even prouder
06:34that this little girl
06:35is representing our entire country.
06:38Sobrang happy na
06:40pag may laban siya,
06:42nagagawa kami ng watch party dito sa lanay.
06:44Napupuno niya yung lanay.
06:45Hi Alex!
06:46Satuloy mo lang yung magandang ginagawa mo ngayon.
06:49Sana mapasyal ka dito sa balibete.
06:5112 anyos pa lang si Alex.
06:53Nagkampion na siya
06:55sa prestigyosong
06:56Le Petit S14
06:58and Under Tournament
06:59sa France.
07:01Dahil dito,
07:03naging scholar siya
07:04ng Rafa Nadal Academy
07:06sa Mallorca, Spain.
07:08Doon siya nahasa pa ng husto
07:10sa ilalim ng ilan
07:12sa pinakamahuhusay na tennis coaches
07:15sa buong mundo.
07:16Pati na,
07:17si Tony Nadal
07:18ang tiyuhin
07:19at dating coach
07:20ni Rafa Nadal.
07:22I suppose the question to ask,
07:23may buhay ba si Alex
07:24outside of tennis?
07:26Eh,
07:27ako naman.
07:28Do you feel like
07:29you had a good childhood?
07:31I had an amazing childhood
07:33and I'm so grateful for my childhood,
07:35for my teenage years
07:36and I wouldn't change it for anything.
07:38Life outside tennis,
07:39mayroon ba noon?
07:40Yes,
07:41of course.
07:42I travel a lot.
07:43So,
07:43when I have free time,
07:44kapag nag-align yung mga schedules namin
07:46ng mga kaibigan ko,
07:47lumalapas kami,
07:48nagdi-dinner
07:48or nagsisine.
07:50Ayan.
07:51Sumasayaw ka dun sa party
07:52ni Bad Bunny.
07:53Yes!
07:53Magaling kang sumayaw.
07:56Eh, game naman kaya!
07:57Si Alex
07:58sa isang acting challenge!
08:01May acting challenge sila.
08:02Game ka ba?
08:03Okay.
08:04Anong sentence?
08:05Mabuhay, mga kababayan.
08:06Ayun.
08:06But different emotions daw.
08:08Okay.
08:08Mabuhay, mga kababayan.
08:09Happy.
08:10Mabuhay, mga kababayan!
08:12Mabuhay, mga kababayan?
08:14Mabuhay, mga kababayan!
08:17Ang makasaysayang Wimbledon run ni Alex,
08:21nagtapos sa round of 16
08:23o fourth round ng tournament
08:25nung natalo siya ni Jasmine Paulini
08:28ng Italy.
08:29Panalo, talo, you still shine.
08:32Pero anong klaseng loser ka?
08:34Are you a good one or a bad one?
08:35I wanna say good loser.
08:37Of course,
08:38nasasaktan ako kapag natatalo
08:39and nadidisappoint.
08:41Pero, I think what matters the most
08:42is how you bounce back.
08:44And tennis teaches you how to lose.
08:46I think those are almost more defining
08:48than kapag nananalo.
08:50Saan nang gagaling yung drive mo?
08:52Sa akin mismo.
08:53Ganun lang talaga ako ever since
08:55four years old ako nagtitennis
08:57kaya kabisadong kabisado ko na yung sarili ko.
08:59But at the same time,
09:01there's still so much I have to learn
09:02about myself.
09:03And I think that's just part of growing up.
09:05But I'm a competitor at heart.
09:06Kasi they say yung mga great people daw
09:09may pinanghugutan.
09:12Meron daw bubog or hinanakit
09:14that they carry all their lives.
09:16Meron ka ba nun?
09:17Hindi, wala.
09:17Wala.
09:18So you're this sunshiny girl.
09:20It's hard to define me and my journey
09:22with just one thing
09:23because all people, they have layers,
09:26they have different dimensions.
09:27So you cannot compress a whole life
09:30and a whole journey into one ideal.
09:33Grabe, you're only 21.
09:34Yeah.
09:35You have the world at your feet.
09:36Everyone's watching you.
09:38Ano ba nakikita mong future?
09:40Sana kinabukasan na masaya.
09:42Fruitful and filled with health and happiness.
09:46Isa sa mga humanga kay Alex,
09:49ang sand artist na si Papalo
09:51mula at Pandag City sa Surigao del Sur.
09:55Bilang pagsaludo sa kanya,
09:57iginuhit niya sa buhangin,
09:59si Alex Iala.
10:01Sa husay at determinasyon ni Alex,
10:04naging instant fan daw siya nito.
10:06Naidulayas ko siya.
10:08Ang laki po ng contribute niya sa bansa natin.
10:11Yung padaib na siya,
10:12parang buhis-buhay na po.
10:13Ibinigay na po talaga niya ang lahat-lahat.
10:15Kaya gumawa siya ng panibagong tribute
10:18gamit ang pinakasikat ngayong larawan ni Alex.
10:22Hindi nga lang daw ito naging madali.
10:25May time po talaga hindi matapos.
10:27Lalo na kung biglang umulan.
10:29Hindi maganda pa na kung uwi ka talagang luhaan.
10:32Abak to zero po talaga.
10:33Limang oras ang inabot niya bago ito nabuo
10:37pero sulit naman daw.
10:39At para sa mga nagsasabing AI o Artificial Intelligence lang ito,
10:45heto ang ikatlong sand art ni Papalo.
10:48Patunay na tunay ang kanyang paghanga kay Alex Iala.
10:56Alex Iala, sana magustuhan mo yung sand art ko.
10:59Idol kita, Alex Iala.
11:01Pero kung may higit na na-inspire sa tagumpay ni Alex,
11:05ito ang mga batang nangangarap ding maging tennis champion.
11:10Isa na rito ang walong taong gulang na si Rafael.
11:13Nung pinanganak ko siya 2017,
11:16yun din kasi yung same year na nanalo si Rafael Nadal sa French Open.
11:20Nagkaroon ako ng idea na why not ipangalan natin yung anak namin kay Rafa.
11:24Nung one-year-old po siya,
11:26tinatry po po namin siyang pahawakan ng raketa.
11:29Tinatry niyang i-grip yung malaking raketa.
11:31At dahil tennis coach din ang kanyang daddy Gerard,
11:35maaga pa lang hinasa na ang kanyang talento.
11:39Yung program na tawag nila ay Tennis Tens or 10S.
11:42This uses slower balls, smaller courts, and shorter rackets.
11:47I started hearing about Alex Iala that she was good since her win in SEA Games.
11:53I'm trying to act like her.
11:54My play style, I want to be a bit unpredictable.
11:57This is my favorite move from Alex Iala.
12:01Crouch Wimbledon shot.
12:04Mas lalo pa raw tumindi ang paghanga niya nung nakilala niya mismo ang kanyang idolo.
12:12Sa WTA o Women's Tennis Association 125 Tournament sa Maynila nitong Enero.
12:20I enjoy being with her during that time.
12:23I said to her that I play tennis and I'm on Orange Ball.
12:28At syempre, hindi niya pinalagpas ang pagkakataong magpapirma sa kanyang Orange Ball.
12:34I would like to be a professional tennis player and I would like to travel the world.
12:40Ate Alex, once I meet you again, can we rally and match point first to seven?
12:44Sabi mo, kung may bata doon, nakatulad mo dati, na nakaraffles ang medyas, light up shoes with chubby cheeks, anong
12:53gusto mong ipayo sa kanya?
12:55Na ipursige kung ano yung mahal niya sa bukay, ano yung gusto niyang gawing trabaho, and to believe in herself.
13:04Marami mang bagay ang nagahati sa ating bansa ngayon.
13:09Ipinapaalala ni Alex Ayala na meron pa rin mga tagumpay na kaya tayong pag-isahin.
13:17At sa kanyang bawat laban, iisa ang sigaw ng milyon-milyong mga Pilipino saan mang sulok ng mundo.
13:27Laban!
13:28Laban, Alex!
13:30Laban!
13:31And that's the Alex Ayala Effect!
13:35Kasama po si Alex Ayala!
13:37Alex, IKMJS na yan!
13:40Yay!
