Filipino player and coach Brysl Libao understands that there is a learning curve for Philippine crowds to absorb "tennis etiquette," but one thing should always be present on the court: respect.
The hype for Alex Eala is at an all-time high, and the flock of Filipino fans at her recent matches is being seen as a double-edged sword as some criticized the crowd for being too “rowdy," a talking point highlighted during the 2026 Australian Open.
After Eala's breakthrough 2025 campaign, which included personal milestones on the WTA Tour and a SEA Games gold medal for Team Philippines, Filipinos now pay more attention to tennis and in turn, more fans gather to see Eala play live.
And ahead of the Philippine Women’s Open, the country's first-ever WTA event, the atmosphere is expected to be electric especially as Eala is confirmed to play.
Now, for Filipino tennis player and coach Brysl Libao, it's only normal for the Filipino crowd to go through an adjustment period as they discover the "tennis etiquette."
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“It’s good to show your passion and everything,” Libao told One Sports on fan reactions.
“Although, of course, as tennis players, we would advise, for example, do not clap on opponents’ double faults, and then when play is starting, just keep quiet… But after the point, when the point’s over, yes, you can cheer as loud as you want.”
For a lot of Filipino fans, tennis etiquette can be something of a novel idea — especially as there's no such thing for sports like basketball and volleyball.
But for Libao, crowds just need to be able to tap into something universal: respect.
“[It’s important to] just to show their respect and to show their respect to not only to our own player, especially if they're [playing against] Alex, but also towards their opponents and just to show respect, but [it’s] totally understandable,” he said.
“Not everyone is obviously knowledgeable in terms of tennis etiquette. So it's totally fine. I mean, I guess it's, we'll just let the umpire kind of warn the crowd, but I think this is just normal,” Libao continued.
Eala’s magnetic pull for fans has captured the attention entire tennis world.
Novak Djokovic, 24-time Grand Slam champion and arguably the greatest ever, also recently commented on the fans talk, saying how the influx of support is a “good problem” for the WTA.
Libao mirrored this sentiment, as he also gets ready to support the Philippine Women’s Open as a hitting partner.
With tennis set for its long-awaited boom in the Philippines, Libao is happy to see more and more Filipinos get into the sport — especially as the WTA comes to Manila for the first time.
“I'm sure the WTA is really happy about this and they've never experienced it because all Filipinos usually show out and show their support for a lot of the different sports,” said Libao.
“So in terms of tennis, I'm sure the WTA is really happy and really surprised with how many people are watching,” he added.
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Tickets for the Finals of the Philippine Women’s Open have been sold out for days, underscoring the new-found passion of Filipino fans for the sport thanks to Eala’s success.
Prior to becoming a tennis coach, Libao played in the US NCAA where he was named a two-time All-American. He also suited up for DLSU in the UAAP.
He is a ranked player by the Philippine Tennis Association in Men’s Doubles.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.