Alexandra Eala puts Philippines on world tennis map

There has been excitement around Alexandra Eala for years. On Monday, the 21-year-old Filipina finally gave the tennis world tangible proof that the hype was justified.

Eala completed a dream week by defeating top seed Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the Washington Open final to become the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA singles title. It was not just the trophy that made people take notice, but the manner in which she earned it.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Her route to the title was as demanding as it gets. She overcame Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, second seed Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka before toppling Pegula in a rain-delayed final.

"It's an incredible milestone for me," Eala said after lifting the biggest trophy of her career.

"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."

More than the title itself, Eala was encouraged by how her game evolved over the course of the week.

"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," she said.

"It's really nice to see all the things I've been working on off court or during training being implemented in matches."

Eala has long carried the hopes of a tennis-mad nation eager for a breakthrough star. Ever since winning the US Open girls' title in 2022, her progress has been followed closely. 

Reaching the Eastbourne final last year and the fourth round at Wimbledon last month suggested bigger moments were on the horizon.

Washington proved to be that moment.

The support she received throughout the tournament underlined her growing influence. Filipino fans filled the stands, turning a WTA 500 event in the United States into something that often felt like a home match.
Even Pegula acknowledged the atmosphere.

"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," the American said.

"I appreciate that being a female athlete and being in tennis, we love to see that grow."

The Washington title will propel Eala into the North American hard-court swing with renewed belief. She heads next to Toronto for the Canadian Open before turning her attention to the US Open later this month.

The expectations around Eala are unlikely to disappear anytime soon. If anything, they have only grown. But after a week in Washington that rewrote Philippine tennis history, she appears more than ready to embrace them.