00:00Hi, I'm Alex Yala. I'm at the Vanity Fair office to answer some questions while bouncing this ball.
00:06Alex, what brings you here?
00:08So, the U.S. Open is coming up and I'm here in New York.
00:12I'm training a lot and doing a lot of cool stuff like this.
00:15So, hopefully you'll see more of me.
00:18Your grandfather was your first coach.
00:20What's something he taught you that you'll never forget?
00:24He taught me discipline.
00:25He taught me to be coachable.
00:28So, what's something you learned from him that's not about tennis?
00:33I think it's, I guess, forgiveness.
00:40He became the first Filipino to win a Junior Grand Slam singles title.
00:44What's your favorite part of your Filipino fandom?
00:48Their passion and the sense of community because they always show up for me.
00:53Do you remember the first time you were recognized in public?
00:56The first time?
00:58Probably have to be a long time ago.
01:00But it's been happening more frequently.
01:02And I think the first time is probably last year when I went out with one of my cousins in
01:08the streets.
01:08And it was a sizable amount of people.
01:12What did they say?
01:14It's a lot.
01:15They just ask for pictures and they say, they have this face where it's like, they kind of know who
01:21you are, but not really.
01:23And they're trying to decipher.
01:24And are you?
01:25Yeah, I get a lot of that.
01:27Who do they mistake you for?
01:29They mistake me for a couple other tennis players and some beautiful people in the Philippines, which is, I mean,
01:39such an amazing compliment.
01:43What's your favorite court of all time to play on?
01:46Wimbledon Center Court.
01:47Why?
01:50Because, for one, I grew up watching it.
01:52And second, when you're on there and you really think about it, how much history has happened on that court.
01:58So I think it's got a lot of aura.
02:00What about a favorite hometown court?
02:03I played the very first WTA tournament in Manila this year.
02:09So that's my only experience playing a professional tournament at home.
02:14You didn't see that.
02:16Do you have any good luck rituals before a match?
02:20I like to take my time doing my hair and making sure it's not in my face.
02:26Do you have any lucky colors?
02:29No, but I love pink.
02:32Is there anything you avoid in case of bad luck?
02:35I avoid treating people badly.
02:37I feel like karma is going to get you back.
02:43What's something that you do in your spare time?
02:45I love to go to coffee shops and try different ones around the world.
02:49And I like to read.
02:50What are you reading right now?
02:52Wuthering Heights.
02:54Can you introduce me to your mom?
02:55Of course.
03:00We look the same, don't we?
03:01Thanks, mom.
03:02Bye.
03:04Alex, do you like to cook?
03:06I try.
03:09What's the Alex Yala special?
03:12I make a mean scrambled egg.
03:15And good rice.
03:17You idolized Rafael Nadal growing up and now you regularly train with him.
03:21What's something about Nadal that surprised you?
03:28How soft he gets around his son.
03:32It's so different seeing him as an athlete and the great athlete that he is.
03:38But not a lot of people get to see him as a father and I feel like that's a very
03:44different dimension.
03:45So it was surprising to see that.
03:49Is there anyone you're super excited to see at the U.S. Open?
03:52I'm super excited to see Venus and Serena play.
03:57What about them are you excited to see?
04:00I feel like whenever they're out on court and especially them both together, it's unmatched.
04:06And I guess everything that they've done for tennis and women's tennis and women in general
04:11has been so great that you can feel it through their playing.
04:15If you could give your childhood self any advice, what would it be?
04:19Don't change a thing.
04:21I wouldn't let her change anything.
04:24Wish me luck, guys.
