Things have changed quickly for Alexandra Eala. A month ago, she was celebrating her first WTA singles title in Washington, D.C. Now, she is the highest-ranked Filipino tennis player in history and has reached a career-best US Open third round.

The spotlight on her brightens with every win, so has the pressure. But Eala has found a way to keep herself from getting caught up in everything happening around her.

“I try not to look so much at the bigger picture all the time ’cause I can get lost, and it can get overwhelming with a lot of emotions,” Eala said during an interview on CBS Mornings.

That is not an easy place to be for the 21-year-old, but she does not see the pressure as something she needs to run from.

“The life of a competitive athlete comes with pressure,” she said. “I think [Billie Jean] King says pressure is a privilege, and I have never been able to relate to something more.”

Eala’s title run in Citi DC saw her beat players such as four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka and top seed Jessica Pegula. Her ranking has since climbed to No. 18, while Venus Williams has called her a “world star” and Coco Gauff has also spoken highly of her.

There is a lot happening away from the court, too. Back home in the Philippines, “Eala Mania” has taken off. And for Eala, even sharing the stage with some of the players she grew up watching feels surreal.

Gauff is just a year older, but Eala said that she remembers watching her on television. Venus, meanwhile, is someone she grew up viewing as a legend. Now she is playing alongside them at the biggest tournaments in the sport.

Her mental edge in handling pressure was thoroughly tested at the US Open. Eala’s run ended in the third round against teenager Iva Jovic after a three-hour battle. 

Eala even led 4-2 in the deciding set before Jovic won five of the final six games, eventually winning 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a match that had 17 breaks of serve across 33 games.

Even after the loss, though, Eala’s gesture towards her rival won hearts. Jovic, her friend away from the court, was moved to tears when talking about what Eala did after the match. Instead of simply meeting her at the net, Eala walked around the court to congratulate her.

“It says a lot about her as a person,” Jovic said.

The US Open run is over, but Eala’s bigger story is only starting. The attention is unlikely to slow down, and apparently she’s taking one step at a time and trying not to get lost in the hype.