{"id":2075426,"date":"2026-08-03T17:40:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2075426"},"modified":"2026-08-03T17:40:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T14:40:02","slug":"alex-eala-speaks-after-winning-the-first-wta-title-of-her-career-at-the-washington-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2075426","title":{"rendered":"Alex Eala speaks after winning the first WTA title of her career at the Washington Open"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Alex Eala speaks after winning the first WTA title of her career at the Washington Open<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/liam-mcmillen\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Liam McMillen                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"03 Aug 2026 6:40 PM\" data-ps-date=\"03 Aug 2026 6:40 PM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1785778802\"><br \/>\n                            03 Aug 2026 6:40 PM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img 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href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Falex-eala-first-wta-title-of-her-career-at-the-washington-open\" class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" aria-label=\"Share to linkedin\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/\/send\/?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Falex-eala-first-wta-title-of-her-career-at-the-washington-open\" aria-label=\"Share to whatsapp\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <a class=\"!text-info hover:!text-brand\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?v=2&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennis365.com%2Ftennis-news%2Falex-eala-first-wta-title-of-her-career-at-the-washington-open\" aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Alex Eala speaks after winning the first WTA title of her career at the Washington Open\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Alex-Eala-in-action-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"\">                <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\"><!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p>Alex Eala claimed the first WTA title of her career by defeating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/jessica-pegula\">Jessica Pegula<\/a> in the Washington Open final.<\/p>\n<p>The Filipina star produced a stunning comeback following a rain delayed Sunday final, which was moved over to the Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Eala started the Monday match a set down, with the second set on serve at 1-2. She managed to win the second set 6-4, before Pegula crumbled in the third set.<\/p>\n<p>The 21-year-old was able to win her first WTA title at a canter, by bagelling Pegula in the deciding set, much to the delight of the Filipino-heavy crowd in Washington.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking after the match, Eala said:\u00a0\u201cGood afternoon everyone. Oh my gosh, where do I start? First of all, of course, first and foremost congratulations Jessie for an amazing week and you\u2019ve had an amazing season. It\u2019s always a pleasure to share the court with you, I definitely learn so, so much.<\/p>\n<h2>More Alex Eala news<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/alex-eala-jessica-pegulas-ranking-points-prize-money-washington-open\">Alex Eala and Jessica Pegula\u2019s ranking points, prize money from Washington Open revealed<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/alex-eala-responds-when-asked-which-rule-change-shed-like-introduced-in-tennis\">Alex Eala responds when asked which rule change she\u2019d like introduced in tennis<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cEspecially from your forehand line and your backhand crosses. I\u2019m really looking forward to hopefully many more finals with you. There\u2019s a long list of people I want to thank and the top of that list is my family, my mum, my dad, my brother.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy team, Joan, who is over there. You and Sandro, thank you guys. There are my inner circle, they are the ones who are putting in the work every day with me. Who make me feel like I\u2019m not putting in the hardwork alone because I know they\u2019re right there with me, so thank you guys.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to thank the medical staff here, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/WTA-Tour\">WTA<\/a> medical staff, and the tournament medical staff for helping me throughout the week. I want to thank the tournament, Mark, and the sponsors Mubadala for such an accommodating week. Amazing tournament and moving the final to Monday was no easy feat, but super memorable, so congratulations on a great tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/alex-eala\">Eala<\/a> then used most of her championship speech to send a message to the Filipino crowd, who were incredibly loud throughout the culmination of the final.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd of course, to all my supporters, so thank you guys. Thank you to all my supporters, especially the Filipino community here in DC, back home, and wherever you are in the world,\u201d said Eala.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really thank you guys, I feel all the love. Before the final yesterday, I got so many messages from my family and friends, who are on tour wherever else in the world.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd I thought to myself, I feel so much love, so standing here in the middle of all this love, my first chance at the title. Knowing it won\u2019t be my last, having already achieved this feat and this milestone for my career.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know whatever would have happened after this match, it would have already been a win for me. Thank you everybody and I really look forward to seeing you guys again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Eala has entered the top 20 of the WTA Tour rankings for the first time in her career thanks to her maiden success at WTA-level.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, Miles MacLagan was impressed by what he saw from Eala throughout the last two sets against Pegula.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe earned it,\u201d said the former coach of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/andy-murray\">Andy Murray<\/a>. \u201cThe crowd involvement. I\u2019m always amazed by how much emotion they\u2019re bottling up and then you see it. The valve is released and you see it all coming out. What a great week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Eala will now head over to the Canadian Open, where she will await the winner of Victoria Jim\u00e9nez Kasintseva and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/alycia-parks\">Alycia Parks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End --><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alex Eala speaks after winning the first WTA title of her career at the Washington Open Liam McMillen 03 Aug 2026 6:40 PM Alex Eala claimed the first WTA title of her career by defeating Jessica Pegula in the Washington Open final. The Filipina star produced a stunning comeback following a rain delayed Sunday final, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-2075426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2075426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075426\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2075426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2075426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2075426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}