Ever since first emerging on the scene in March 2025, when she made a surprise run to the Miami semifinals as a wild card, Alexandra Eala has continued to ascend.

As she’s grown into one of the biggest stars on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, and had to manage expectations and a fiercely devoted global fan base, she’s backed it up with results. She ended last season outside the Top 50 of the PIF WTA Rankings, and as the season weaves its way through its final swing she finds herself in the Top 20.

Her crowning achievement was her first title this past summer in Washington, D.C., where she beat Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka and Jessica Pegula in succession to win the WTA 500 tournament.

There have been obstacles, of course. A first-round loss to Alycia Parks in Melbourne, a subpar Clay-Court Swing, a heartbreaking loss to Iva Jovic at the US Open and, most recently, a surprising defeat to then-World No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova in Singapore.

But that’s par for the course. Adversity is inevitable, and Eala’s ability to handle it with maturity and perspective is one of the reasons she’s been so successful.

“I think one thing that I’ve learned in the past couple of months about myself is my capacity to suffer,” Eala said on “Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova,” the five-time Grand Slam champion’s podcast. “And [to] be in those situations where you’re uncomfortable and you’re out of breath and you’re nervous.

“And of course it’s always easier to enjoy when you’re winning, and when you’re winning you forget what it feels like to be losing consecutively. But recently, I’ve been almost looking forward to those moments where I’m out of breath, or those moments where I’m really nervous. And I’ve learned to enjoy facing them head on.”

Eala and Sharapova discussed a wide range of topics on the hour-long podcast, from carrying the hopes of a nation to her experience at the Rafa Nadal Academy to what makes her feel pretty and tough.

Eala’s appearance on “Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova” continues a busy off-court stretch for the World No. 18, which also included three shows at New York Fashion Week and the Chanel Spring/Summer 2027 show at Paris Fashion Week.

Eala will return to WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz action next week in Wuhan, the final WTA 1000 tournament of the season.