TENNIS: Alex Eala lives up to 'Giant Slayer' hype as she routs World No. 3 Pegula in Washington

Alexandra Eala made history for the Philippines after winning the Washington Open, becoming the first woman from the country to capture a WTA Tour-level singles title.

The 21-year-old Filipina completed her breakthrough tournament by rallying past top seed Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a rain-delayed final, which started on Sunday and concluded on Monday.

Eala produced a remarkable run throughout the tournament, defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, second seed Elina Svitolina, and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka. Her impressive victories have positioned her as a potential contender to watch at the upcoming U.S. Open.

"It's an incredible milestone for me," Eala said after the victory.

The Filipina admitted she did not expect to win the title at the start of the week, especially with a challenging draw featuring several top-ranked opponents.

"At the beginning of the week, there's no way I'd have thought that I'd be holding this trophy," Eala said. "Every match was a different set of obstacles. I'm really proud."

Eala said the tournament gave her greater confidence as she continued to improve with each match and saw her training efforts translate into success on the court.

"It's really nice to see all the things I've been working on off court or during training being implemented in matches," she said.

Rising star of Philippine tennis

Eala's progress has been closely followed since she won the U.S. Open girls' singles title in 2022. She continued her rise by reaching the Eastbourne final last year and advancing to the fourth round of Wimbledon last month.

As her profile grew, so did her global following, with Filipino supporters regularly filling tournament stands to cheer for the player viewed as a trailblazer for Philippine tennis.

Her growing popularity was on full display during the Washington Open final, where Pegula praised the support shown by Filipino fans.

"It's amazing that you guys showed up and again, to all the Filipino fans that came out, you are helping grow tennis around the world," Pegula said.

Eala will look to carry her momentum into the Canadian Open in Toronto before competing at the U.S. Open, which begins on August 30 in New York. -Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters