FILIPINA tennis star Alex Eala captured her first WTA Tour title in spectacular fashion, rallying from a set down to defeat world number three Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, in the Mubadala DC Open final early Tuesday, Philippine time, at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, DC.
The championship match stretched across two days after stormy weather in the US capital forced a rain delay, but Eala remained unfazed and produced a masterful turnaround to etch her name in history.
After dropping the opening set 4-6, Eala held a slim 2-1 lead in the second when play was suspended. Upon resumption, both players held serve until Eala secured a crucial break to level the match.
The deciding set belonged entirely to the 21-year-old Filipino, who broke Pegula twice and raced to a 5-0 lead. Though Pegula avoided the shutout with a game of her own, Eala wrapped up the bagel set and the title with authority. The victory makes Eala the first Southeast Asian player to win a WTA 500 tournament and her third professional title overall.
“At the beginning of the week, there is no way I would have thought that I would be holding this trophy,” Eala said after the win. She credited her ability to adapt to the weather delay, noting: “I think I warmed up a thousand times… I was able to take my time and apply what I learned from the first half of the match.” Her historic run included toppling four top-seeded players: Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.
Currently ranked world number 29, Eala is set to break into the Top 20 for the first time in her career. She will enjoy a first-round bye at the upcoming WTA 1000 Canadian Open, where she begins her campaign in the main draw on August 5 in Ontario.
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