Alexandra Eala, a 21-year-old from the Philippines, made history by becoming the first player from her country to win a WTA Tour-level title. She defeated American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 at the DC Open on Monday.
Eala’s Journey to Victory
Eala’s match against Pegula was suspended due to rain on Sunday with Pegula leading 6-4, 1-2. However, Eala made a remarkable comeback, winning the final eight games of the match.
Throughout the tournament, Eala beat the top three seeds, including top-seeded Pegula in the final, No. 3 seed Naomi Osaka in the semifinals, and No. 2 Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals. This win moves Eala inside the top 20 in the world rankings, a career best.
Eala expressed her gratitude to her supporters, saying, ‘To all my supporters, especially the Filipino community, here in DC and back home and wherever you are in the world, I feel all the love.’ She also received messages from her family and friends, which motivated her to win the title.
Pegula praised Eala, saying, ‘You’re an amazing player… Just to see how far you’ve come over the last couple of years when we first played, to see the amazing fans that follow you every single place you go.’ The crowd at the DC Open was filled with Philippines flags, showing their support for Eala.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
