Alex Eala made history by becoming the first Filipino to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour singles title after defeating World No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the final of the Mubadala DC Open.
Eala rallied from a first-set loss to defeat Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, completing a comeback victory in Washington, D.C.
After dropping the opening set, the 20-year-old Filipina responded by winning the second set to force a decider before dominating the third set without conceding a game.
The victory earned Eala her first WTA Tour singles championship, marking a milestone for Philippine tennis.
Her performance in Washington also propelled her to a career-high ranking of World No. 20 in the latest WTA rankings.
Pegula entered the final as the tournament’s top seed and the world’s third-ranked player, making Eala’s victory the biggest title of her professional career.
The championship adds another milestone to Eala’s growing list of achievements on the international tennis circuit.
By capturing the Mubadala DC Open title, Eala became the first Filipino player to win a singles championship on the WTA Tour.
Her run through the tournament drew widespread attention as she defeated one of the top-ranked players in women’s tennis to secure the title.
The result also strengthened Eala’s standing on the global tour as she reached the highest ranking of her career.
The historic victory was widely celebrated by Filipinos and marked another significant achievement for Philippine sports, with Eala continuing to establish herself among the emerging talents in international women’s tennis.
