Alexandra Eala becomes first Filipina to win a WTA singles title, rallying past Pegula in Washington

Alexandra Eala made history on Monday at the Mubadala DC Open, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour-level singles title. The 21-year-old, ranked 28th in the world, defeated top seed and world number three Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a final that spanned two days after persistent rain forced a suspension on Sunday.

A final across two days

The championship match began nearly three hours late on Sunday, 2 August, and was halted with Pegula leading by a set but trailing 2-1 in the second. Sunday saw the highest single-day rainfall accumulation of the year in Washington. When play resumed under clear skies on Monday, Eala seized control, winning 10 of the final 13 games. She broke Pegula in the tenth game of the second set to level the match, then raced through the decider without dropping a game, closing out the victory in one hour and 45 minutes of on-court time.

“I feel so much love. My first chance at a title knowing it won't be the last and already having achieved this milestone for my career.”

A gauntlet of champions

Eala's path to the trophy was one of the toughest of any WTA 500 event this season. She opened her campaign by defeating Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen, then eliminated defending champion Leylah Fernandez, second seed Elina Svitolina, and four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the semi-finals before overcoming Pegula. The run extended her winning streak against top-10 opponents to five matches, a stretch that already included victories over Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Svitolina twice.

“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 place you go, it's not fun to play against but I think it's amazing.”

A milestone for Philippine tennis

Eala's progress has been closely watched since her US Open junior title in 2022. A runner-up finish at Eastbourne in 2025 and a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon last month signalled her steady climb, but the Washington title marks a clear breakthrough. The result will lift her to a career-high world number 20 when the new WTA rankings are published. Pegula had won the Washington title herself in 2019. Large groups of Filipino supporters packed the stands throughout the week, and Pegula acknowledged their role in growing the sport.

“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.”

What comes next

Eala heads next to the Canadian Open in Toronto before the US Open, which begins on 30 August in New York. Her Washington run, built on a dominant left-handed serve and aggressive baseline hitting, positions her as a dangerous outsider for the season's final major. In the men's final in Washington, American Taylor Fritz earned his 11th career ATP title by defeating Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar 7-6(2), 6-4.