Philippines celebrates Alex Eala’s historic WTA Tour-level singles title

By Rohan Gupta — 5 August 2026 — 4 min read

Eala’s Historic Win in Washington DC

Alex Eala, a 21-year-old tennis player from the Philippines, achieved a historic milestone by winning her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour-level singles title. Her victory in Washington DC marks the first time a player from the Philippines has secured such a title. The win has garnered widespread attention in her home country, including praise from the president.

Eala’s triumph came after a challenging final match against top-ranked player Jessica Pegula. The match was extended over two days due to rain delays. Despite falling behind, Eala mounted a comeback, ultimately securing the title. Pegula acknowledged the significant support for Eala, noting the large number of Filipino fans present and their role in promoting tennis globally.

The final score against Pegula was 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. The match had been suspended on Sunday night with Pegula leading 6-4, 1-2. Eala, a left-hander, won the final nine games, including a 6-0 third set where she dropped only eight points. She described the rain delay as “a crazy 24 hours” and the highest-stakes rain delay of her career.

National Pride and Growing Tennis Interest

Eala’s success has ignited a surge of tennis fever across the Philippines. Signs at the tournament expressed national pride, with one reading, “Alex you make us proud to be Filipino.” The president, Ferdinand Marcos, congratulated Eala on social media, highlighting her role in redefining possibilities for Philippine tennis and inspiring young Filipinos.

This recent victory follows Eala’s notable performance at Wimbledon in July, where she advanced further than any Filipino woman at a Grand Slam championship. During that tournament, she also defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets on Centre Court. Upon her return home, Eala received a hero’s welcome, including a reception hosted by President Marcos at Malacanang Palace in Manila.

Historically, the Philippines‘ sporting focus has been on basketball, billiards, and boxing. However, Eala’s achievements have shifted national interest towards tennis. This newfound enthusiasm has led to fully booked tennis classes, camps, and courts, prompting clubs to upgrade facilities and increasing support for the national tennis federation. Eala herself noted the difficulty in securing courts in Manila, a positive change from when she was younger and courts were often empty.

Manny Pacquiao, a prominent boxing champion, also lauded Eala on social media, calling her “our new champion” and commending her comeback for demonstrating the “Filipino heart.” Mark Ein, Washington‘s tournament director, observed unprecedented interest in Eala, with a significant majority of ticketing requests focused on her match schedule.

Eala’s Journey and Future Impact

Eala’s journey in tennis began on painted-over basketball courts in Quezon City before she moved to Spain to attend the Rafa Nadal Academy on a scholarship at the age of 13. Her success is particularly significant given that the Philippines lacks the extensive infrastructure and financial resources typically available in countries like the United States, Great Britain, and France, which often dominate the sport.

Eala’s recent tournament run included victories against several seeded players: No. 2 seed Elina Svitolina, No. 3 seed Naomi Osaka, and No. 7 seed Leylah Fernandez, the defending champion. She also defeated 2024 Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen en route to the final. With her wins against Svitolina and Pegula, Eala is now tied with Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina for seven Top 10 victories this season.

Eala is projected to enter the Top 20 in the PIF WTA Rankings for the first time. She expressed surprise at her victory, stating, “At the beginning of the week, there is no way I would have thought that I would be holding this trophy.” She also acknowledged the tough competition, noting that every match presented different obstacles. Eala believes she ended the tournament in better shape than she started, continuously improving and learning from each match.

Eala is inspiring young Filipinos from diverse backgrounds to pursue tennis, though she has emphasized the need to improve access to public courts, equipment, and the condition of existing facilities. She shared at the palace reception that she truly understood the impact she was having on millions of Filipinos during her Wimbledon campaign in July.

Source: theguardian.com