- Eala won her first WTA singles title
- She defeated top seed Jessica Pegul
- The victory lifted her to a career-high ranking
Alexandra Eala etched her name into tennis history after becoming the first Filipino player to capture a WTA singles title, defeating top seed Jessica Pegula in a weather-disrupted Washington Open final.
The championship match, originally scheduled for Sunday, stretched into Monday after repeated rain and lightning interruptions in the US capital, Eko Hot Blog gathered.
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Pegula, ranked world number three, claimed the opening set 6-4 before play was first suspended. Eala held a 2-1 advantage in the second set when worsening weather forced organisers to postpone the remainder of the match until Monday.
When action resumed, the 21-year-old produced an impressive comeback, conceding only three more games before sealing a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory.
The American, who previously lifted the Washington title in 2019 and 2021, struggled to contain Eala’s powerful left-handed serve and aggressive baseline play as the Filipino dominated the deciding set.
Celebrating the biggest triumph of her career, Eala said she was overwhelmed by the support she had received and believed the victory was only the beginning of greater achievements.
She noted that reaching her first WTA final and claiming the title marked a significant career milestone and expressed confidence that more opportunities would come.
The victory will propel Eala from world number 28 to a career-best ranking of 20. Before the final, Pegula had described the young Filipino as one of the sport’s brightest emerging talents.
Following the match, Pegula praised Eala’s rapid development, saying her progress over the past few years had been remarkable and acknowledging the strong support she enjoys from fans around the world.
The Washington triumph also extended Eala’s unbeaten run against top-10 opponents to five matches, adding Pegula to a list that includes Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, whom she has beaten twice, and Iga Swiatek.
In the men’s singles final, third seed Taylor Fritz defeated 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 to secure his 11th ATP Tour title and his first championship since winning in Eastbourne last year.
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