ALEX EALA FIRST FILIPINO TO WIN WTA TOUR TITLE

TENNIS sensation Alex Eala made history as the first Filipino to win a WTA Tour singles title by defeating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the Mubadala DC Open final early Tuesday (Philippine Time) at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C.

Eala jumped four spots to set a new career-high of World No. 20 after, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory against Pegula in the rain-delayed final in Washington.

“I think I warmed up a thousand times. 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. I think this is just kind of another one of those, although it was a lot higher stakes. But I think I was able to take my time and take those learnings from the first half of the match and do my best to apply them in the second, and I think it worked pretty well,” the 21-year-old Eala said in a news release on the WTA website.

Eala thanked all her supporters, especially the Filipino community on Washingtong DC, and all over the world.

“I feel so much love, Standing here in the middle of all the love, my first chance at the title knowing it won’t be my last and already having achieved this feat and this milestone for my career . I knew that whatever would’ve happened after this match, it would’ve already been a win for me,” Eala said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. congratulated Eala for making history for the Filipino people.

“Alex Eala does it again. The Philippines now has its first 𝗪𝗧𝗔   𝟱𝟬𝟬  champion,” the President, in a social media post, said.

“Congratulations on yet another historic achievement,” he added.

President Marcos said Eala continues to inspire young Filipinos to dream bigger.

“You continue to redefine what is possible for Philippine tennis and inspire countless young Filipinos to dream without limits,”  he noted.

“Kasama mo ang sambayang Pilipino sa pagdiriwang ng panibagong tagumpay na ito. Mabuhay ka, Alex!” the President said.