Filipina tennis star Alex Eala has made history on the international stage, but she has also found meaningful ways to keep a piece of home close wherever she competes.
One symbol that has become closely tied to her journey is the sampaguita, the Philippines' national flower.
Featured in personalized gifts and commemorative pieces from Nike, the flower has appeared during some of Alex's biggest Wimbledon milestones as a tribute to her Filipino roots.
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3 memorable moments the sampaguita became part of her story:
Nike gifted Alex a custom sampaguita hair tie before her Wimbledon debut
Ahead of her first Wimbledon appearance in 2025, Alex uploaded on Instagram a special gift from Nike: a custom-made hair tie inspired by the sampaguita.
Alongside the accessory, she wrote, "The sampaguita, the flower of my country. A reminder of where I come from and everything that brought me here."
The gift also came with a handwritten note featuring the Filipino proverb: "Kung may tinanim, may aanihin," honoring the years of hard work and dedication that led Alex to one of tennis' biggest stages.
The sampaguita inspired Nike Philippines' Full in Bloom shirt
The tribute did not stop with the hair accessory.
Later that year, Nike Philippines released a limited-edition T-shirt titled Full in Bloom, designed by Filipino artist Georgina Camus.
The shirt featured the sampaguita against the backdrop of Wimbledon's iconic grass courts, celebrating Alex's tournament debut while highlighting the Filipino symbol that had become part of her journey.
The tradition continued with a personalized Wimbledon visor
A year later, the sampaguita once again became part of Alex's Wimbledon story.
Nike gifted the Filipina athlete a personalized visor embroidered with the words, "Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto."
The message echoed the theme introduced the previous year, mirroring Alex's continued growth as the country's brightest tennis star.
Together with the sampaguita, the visor served as a powerful reminder of the roots she proudly carries onto the world stage.
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