Alex Eala is set to join Serena Williams by achieving an amazing milestone after winning the Washington Open title.
Rising tennis star Alex Eala is about to make history this week by winning her first-ever WTA 500 title. At just 21 years old, she beat world number three Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to claim the Washington Open on Monday.
The final started on Sunday but had to pause because of rain, with Pegula leading 6-4, 2-1. After that break, Eala took control and only let Pegula win three more games. This win made Eala the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA 500 title.
Now, Eala will break into the top 20 in the WTA rankings for the first time, just before the US Open begins on August 30. She’s also set to play her second-round match at the Canadian Open on Wednesday night. Tickets for that night session have already sold out, which is a rare event in Toronto unless a star like Serena Williams is playing.
Canada’s own Leylah Fernandez, who has Filipino roots too, will also be playing Wednesday evening, adding to the excitement. Unfortunately, Canadian number one Victoria Mboko is out after a knee injury she got while playing doubles with Serena Williams in June. Mboko will also miss the US Open as she recovers.
After her big win in Washington, Eala shared her joy: “I don’t even know where to start! First, congrats to Jessie [Pegula] for an amazing week. You’re such a great player and playing with you teaches me so much. I hope we have many more finals together. I want to thank my family — my mum, dad, and brother — and my team. They work hard with me every day and make me feel like I’m not alone in this journey. Big thanks to the medical staff and the tournament organizers for making the week smooth, especially moving the final to Monday — that was special.”
Pegula also praised Eala, saying: “Congrats to Alex on a fantastic week and tournament. You’re a great player, and it’s amazing to see how much you’ve grown since we first played. Your fans follow you everywhere, which makes matches tough but so fun. I wish you and your coach all the best!”