Eala Claims Historic Victory at WTA
Alex Eala battles back from a first-set loss to defeat top seed Jessica Pegula and secure her first WTA Tour singles title.
Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala rallied past top seed Jessica Pegula, 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, to claim her first WTA Tour title this August 3, held in Mubadala DC Open in Washington, D.C.
The match was suspended due to rain with Pegula leading 6–4. After play resumed, Eala fought back from a 4–3 deficit in the second set and continued her rise. She won the final nine games, including a dominant 6–0 third set in which she dropped just eight points.
Eala later described the weather delay as a “crazy 24 hours,” calling it the highest-stakes rain delay of her career. “I think I warmed up a thousand times,” she said. “It was difficult, I think … at the same time, it’s happened to me a lot; rain delays a lot of times in my life.” She then added that she used the lessons from the first half of the match to adjust her approach after the delay, helping her regain control and secure the victory.
Following her historic DC Open triumph, Eala advanced to the Canadian Open, continuing her campaign on the WTA Tour.
