Alex Eala: Filipino dreamer to WTA winner

Alex Eala of the Philippines kisses the championship trophy after successful the ladies’s singles match towards Jessica Pegula of the United States on the ultimate day of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on August 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. Scott Taetsch/Getty Images/AFP

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala’s quest for a breakthrough WTA Tour title that started in Mallorca, Spain as a wide-eyed 13-year-old with lofty goals resulted in Washington on Tuesday.

Eala’s crowning second got here in her typical fashion-a comeback win over a top-caliber participant. This time, she overpowered American world quantity three Jessica Pegula after dropping the opening set.

After Pegula’s backhand went vast, Eala collapsed to the court docket on her knees and was overcome with feelings.

Letting all of it out ❤️‍🔥#MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/Z720b9PedN

— Mubadala DC Open (@mubadaladcopen) August 3, 2026

“Oh my gosh, I’m over the moon. I’m super happy taking it all in right now,” stated Eala, who denied Pegula a second crown in DC, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, in a uncommon Monday last for her seventh victory over a prime 10 participant this season.

“At the beginning of the week, there’s no way I would have thought that I would be holding this trophy. And even at the beginning of the year, like, it’s just these things kind of creep up on you. And yeah, I hold these moments really close to me,” added Eala, who climbed 4 spots to a brand new career-high rating of World No. 20.

Eala confronted a “very steep” climb to the highest in DC being drawn in the identical bracket as the highest three seeds in Pegula, Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka in addition to Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and defending champion Leylah Fernandez.

But recognized for her knack to flourish towards fancied competitors, the robust draw was becoming for the tour’s big slayer.

Eala began gradual, rallying previous Zheng within the opening spherical earlier than authoring a much bigger comeback, rising from a 1-5 deficit within the second set to dethrone Fernandez. Eala got here for the match heavyweights subsequent, knocking out second seed Svitolina within the quarterfinal and four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka within the semifinal through sweeps to rearrange a championship match with Pegula.

“It was a very steep hill. And coming into the tournament, I knew that the competition was super strong and my draw was quite tough. Every match was just a different set of obstacles, you know? So, I’m really, really proud. I think I encountered my fair share of obstacles this week,” stated Eala, who celebrated her triumph with a throng of Filipino supporters at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.

Miami breakthrough

It was an arduous journey to glory that reached its turning level in Miami greater than a yr in the past.

Eala obtained a wild card entry to the Miami Open predominant draw as a 19-year-old rising star with meager expectations surrounding her.

Armed with unwavering perception, Eala, who was ranked a hundred and fortieth at the moment, defied large odds and took down one Grand Slam champion after one other.

Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko was the primary massive title to fall, adopted by residence wager Madison Keys and then-World No. 2 Iga Swiatek all in straight units.

The dream run resulted in an exciting semifinal duel towards Pegula. But regardless of the loss, it was clear that it was just the start for Eala, who had catapulted to World No. 75 following her breakout efficiency in Miami.

Cracking the WTA prime 100 opened the door to a lot greater alternatives, with Eala securing outright predominant draw berths in Grand Slam tournaments.

Six months after her magical Miami run, Eala gained her maiden WTA singles title on the Guadalajara 125 Open in Mexico earlier than including a second challenger collection win within the Birmingham Classic by turning again up-and-coming Czech Nikola Bartunkova within the last. It was Eala’s first time beating a Czech participant in 14 tries since turning professional in 2020.

Eastbourne heartbreak

But her success didn’t come with out struggles and setbacks.

Less than three months earlier than her triumph in Guadalajara, Eala suffered a heartbreaking loss to Australia’s Maya Joint within the Eastbourne Open last in England.

The match noticed Eala squander 4 consecutive championship factors in a dramatic final-set tiebreak. Eala would later say that the result was “one of the toughest losses” of her profession.

“I think it showed how difficult that was for me in the post-match interviews and my immediate reactions,” she stated throughout a press convention in Makati final July.

“But I’m able to look back at that match with a smile now, and I can laugh. I’m proud of that whole week. I’m proud of myself that I was able to turn that experience into a fond memory.”

That identical expertise helped form Eala to be the sort of participant that she is now: Better and extra outfitted to take care of adversities, identical to when she rallied from a set right down to get again at Joint of their Wimbledon second-round conflict final month.

Wimbledon and ‘chubby cheeks’

It was additionally on the All-England Club, the place Eala made extra historical past for the Philippines by changing into the primary Filipino to achieve the fourth spherical of a Grand Slam singles match earlier than shedding to Jasmine Paolini in three units.

Eala highlighted her historic Wimbledon stint with a surprising third-round victory to unseat defending champion Swiatek, 7-6(9), 6-2, which led to her emotional and galvanizing post-match interview.

“With my ruffled socks, light-up trainers and chubby cheeks!”

Alexandra Eala’s post-match interview is the whole lot 🫶 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/pEOTRfmOPB

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 4, 2026

“This might seem small to someone like Iga, or Serena, or Venus, who have won many Grand Slams, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines… I went to train with my brother and my grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and shoes and my chubby cheeks. To her, this is everything,” stated the Filipino trailblazer, struggling to carry again her tears.

“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and knowing that we’re all in this together… This goes out to them. This goes out to my family. This goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world,” added Eala, who began enjoying tennis at 4 years previous along with her grandfather, Roberto Maniego, as her first coach earlier than enrolling at Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain when she was 13.

What’s subsequent?

Eala gained’t have a lot time to rejoice the most important win of her profession as she is already scheduled to face American Alycia Parks within the spherical of 64 of the Canadian Open, often known as the National Bank Open, in Toronto.

Eala, who drew a first-round bye, is seeded twenty fifth within the WTA 1000 arduous court docket occasion. She made her debut within the match final yr and crashed out within the first spherical.

From Toronto, Eala heads to New York for the primary draw of the US Open slated later this month.

Apart from competing in singles, Eala can also be teaming up with Canadian World No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime in a star-studded combined doubles occasion that additionally options the duo of top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.