Alexandra Eala won her maiden WTA singles title at the Washington Open, sparking a surge of interest in tennis in the Philippines and drawing praise from President Ferdinand R Marcos Jnr.
World No 20 Alexandra Eala beat top‑seeded Jessica Pegula 4‑6, 6‑4, 6‑0 at the Washington Open, capturing her first WTA title and becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA championship.
Filipina tennis player Alexandra Eala defeated four-time major champion Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-2 to advance to the Washington Open final, where she will face world number three Jessica Pegula. Eala's strong season includes six top-10 wins and a career-high ranking, having also ended Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon title defence.
Alex de Minaur defeated 17-year-old Cruz Hewitt 6-2, 6-3 at the Washington Open quarter-finals, ending Hewitt's breakout run. De Minaur, the top seed and defending champion, will next face Brandon Nakashima, while Hewitt is set to rise significantly in world rankings.
Alexandra Eala, world No 28, defeats China's Zheng Qinwen 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the Washington Open first round, to face Leylah Fernandez next.
