MANILA — Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino to win a WTA Tour singles title Monday, rallying to defeat top-seeded Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the rain-delayed Mubadala DC Open final.
The victory was the biggest milestone of the 21-year-old’s professional career. Her win could lift Eala into the WTA’s top 20 for the first time.
Eala’s triumph was more than a career breakthrough. She delivered a landmark moment for a country where tennis has long remained on the fringes of the sporting landscape. Her rise in the world of tennis is fueling interest in the sport at home and catapulted her to the most accomplished player in Philippine tennis history.
The championship match began Sunday. It was suspended because of heavy rain and lightning with Pegula leading 6-4, 2-1. When play resumed Monday, Eala took complete control, winning the final nine games of the match.
She converted four of nine break-point opportunities and won 84 percent of points on her first serve to overwhelm Pegula, the world’s No. 3-ranked player and the tournament’s top seed.
The title capped a remarkable week for Eala. She defeated an impressive field that included Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, second-seeded Elina Svitolina, and third-seeded Naomi Osaka. Pegula, the 2019 Washington champion, was seeking the 12th WTA singles title of her career.
The victory also avenged Eala’s only previous meeting with Pegula, who defeated her in the semifinals of the Miami Open in 2025. “To all my supporters, thank you, guys. Especially the Filipino community. Here in DC and back home, wherever you are in the world. I really feel all the love,” Eala said during the trophy presentation.
Eala said the overwhelming support from Filipinos around the world made the experience unforgettable regardless of the outcome.
A graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain, Eala has steadily broken barriers for Philippine tennis. She became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main-draw singles match and the first to reach the fourth round of a major at Wimbledon this year, where she upset defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Her latest achievement is expected to further accelerate the sport’s growth in the Philippines, where basketball and boxing have traditionally dominated public attention. Eala’s success has drawn large television audiences, inspired community viewing parties and encouraged more young Filipinos to take up tennis.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously praised Eala following her Wimbledon run, calling her a source of national pride for the way she represented the Philippines on the international stage.
Eala entered the Washington tournament ranked No. 28, already the highest ranking ever achieved by a Filipino player. With her first WTA title secured after victories over multiple top-10 opponents, she heads into this month’s U.S. Open as one of the tour’s rising stars and a growing contender on the sport’s biggest stage.
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