WASHINGTON : Alexandra Eala underlined her growing status as one of the brightest young talents in women’s tennis on Monday, rallying past top seed Jessica Pegula to win the Washington Open and become the first Filipina to claim a WTA Tour singles title.
The 21-year-old recovered from a set down to beat the American 4-6 6-4 6-0 in a rain-delayed final that began on Sunday, capping a remarkable week that could establish her as a dangerous contender ahead of the U.S. Open.
“It’s an incredible milestone for me,” Eala told reporters.
“At the beginning of the week, there’s no way I’d have thought that I’d be holding this trophy. These things creep up on you, and I hold these moments really close to me.
“It was a very steep hill. Coming into the tournament, I knew that the competition was super strong and my draw was quite tough. Every match was a different set of obstacles. I’m really proud.
“I ended the tournament in better shape than I started. Each match I kept improving and kept learning things about myself. So it definitely gives me a lot of confidence.
“It’s really nice to see all the things I’ve been working on off court or during training being implemented in matches.”
Eala’s title run featured victories over Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, second seed Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
The former U.S. Open junior champion has been regarded as one of the sport’s rising prospects since winning the girls’ title in New York in 2022.
Her progress has gathered pace over the past year after reaching the Eastbourne final and advancing to the fourth round at Wimbledon, with her latest triumph expected to boost confidence ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam.
Eala’s growing popularity has also been reflected in the support she receives from Filipino fans, who turned out in large numbers throughout the Washington tournament.
Pegula acknowledged the atmosphere created by Eala’s supporters after the final.
“It’s amazing that you guys showed up and again, to all the Filipino fans that came out, you are helping grow tennis around the world,” Pegula said.
“I appreciate that being a female athlete and being in tennis, we love to see that grow.”
Eala will next compete at the Canadian Open in Toronto before turning her attention to the U.S. Open, which begins on Aug. 30.
