Panalo Nating Lahat [This is a Victory for us All]: Uncovering Constructs of Language and Nationalism in Social Media Reactions to Alex Eala’s Post-US Open Juniors Championship Interview

Abstract

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala won the US Open Juniors 2022 title, marking a first for the Philippines. She spoke in Filipino for much of her post-match interview, with no translators on hand, which is rare for international matches that broadcast to wide audiences. Online reactions to the event were of interest from the view of language and national identity. Bottom-Up Framing was used to inductively analyze social media comments on Eala’s speech. The researcher found that commenters constructed Eala’s post-match interview as a test of Filipino identity, and abstracted their sentiments to include other public appearances of other Filipino sports celebrities, such as Manny Pacquiao. English speakers were mocked for being awkward, while Filipino speakers were praised for being both humble and proud of their language. A performance of Filipinoness was equated with nationalism, and language became an object to be displayed rather than purveyor of meaning and culture. These findings have implications for studies of national identity in sports, and for how we understand the role of social media in facilitating discussions that construct and enforce the image of an authentic Filipino.