From Variety · Tim Chan · · 1m 20s
Nike Puts a Filipino Flower on Alex Eala's Tee
Alex Eala gets her own Nike shirt, and the design carries the national flower of the Philippines on her back.
In brief
Alex Eala gets her own Nike shirt, and the design carries the national flower of the Philippines on her back. Eala's first Nike tee turns her breakout season into wearable Filipino identity, with the sampaguita flower framing her name. Originally reported by Variety.
Nike gives Eala a tee
Nike released a T-shirt honoring rising tennis star Alexandra Eala, built around her Filipino heritage rather than a generic athlete logo.
“Nike is honoring rising tennis star Alexandra Eala with her very own T-shirt, inspired by her Filipino heritage.”
A breakout year first
She won her maiden WTA 500 title at the Washington Open and reached the third round at the U.S. Open, all at 21.
Her name on the back
The tee is unisex, and Eala's name runs across the back instead of sitting as a small chest hit.
“the 21-year-old's name adorns the back of this unisex tee”
Sampaguita, not decoration
A sampaguita motif surrounds her name. It is the official national flower of the Philippines, so the print reads as a flag more than a pattern.
“surrounded by a sampaguita motif, paying homage to the official national flower of the Philippines”
Why the flower matters
Putting a national symbol on a signature tee tells Filipino fans the shirt is theirs too, not just merch for tennis followers.
Buy it and check the fine print
The shirt is available online now. Variety notes it may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made through its links.
The takeaway
Eala's first Nike tee turns her breakout season into wearable Filipino identity, with the sampaguita flower framing her name.
