Alexandra Eala Rallies Past Jessica Pegula to Capture First WTA Singles Title

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines kisses the Championship Trophy after winning the women’s singles championship match against Jessica Pegula of the United States on the final day of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on Aug. 3, 2026. Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesAlexandra Eala became the first Filipina to win a singles title on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tour on August 3, when she beat America’s Jessica Pegula at the DC Open.“I’ve worked really hard, and oh my gosh, winning a [masters] 500 is insane. It’s an incredible milestone for me,” Eala said after the match. “At the beginning of the week there’s no way I would have thought that I would be holding this trophy.”When the tournament’s top-seeded Pegula hit the ball wide to give Eala the 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 win, the Filipina fell to her knees and covered her face in celebration.“I was really nervous before the last couple of points, and I was really trying to channel those nerves into hitting good balls and moving my feet,” she said. “I’m over the moon. I’m super happy, taking it all in right now.”Eala did not have an easy path to the title, having to face the tournament’s top three seeds in her final three matches—second-seeded Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Naomi Osaka in the semifinals. She beat both in straight sets.During the final against the American, rain repeatedly delayed the match, which was played across Sunday and Monday.“It’s happened to me a lot—you know, rain delays—a lot of times in my life. I think this is just kind of another one of those, although it was a lot higher stakes,” Eala said.Despite the match being at Pegula’s home court, the loud support from many Filipino fans in attendance rang through the stadium. Eala appears to draw similar large groups of fans wherever she plays.Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates winning match point against Iga Swiatek of Poland during their Ladies’ Singles third-round match on day six of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 4, 2026. Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesEala, who moved up to 20th in the WTA rankings with the win, made her largest breakthrough last month when she beat defending champion Iga Swiatek in the third round of Wimbledon.As the 29th seed, she won 7-6(9), 6-2, in almost 90 minutes at what she said has always been her favorite tournament.“For someone who grew up in the Philippines … and … went to train with my brother and my grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and my light-up shoes and my chubby cheeks—to her, this is everything,” Eala said in her on-court interview after the match while getting emotional.Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates her win against Alycia Parks of the United States during day four of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, Ontario, on Aug. 5, 2026. Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesShe went on to lose her fourth-round match against Jasmine Paolini but had previously never made it past the second round of a Grand Slam.The Filipina is currently playing at the Toronto Open, where she is looking to claim her first Masters 1000 title.