Alex Eala took the tennis world by storm last week.
The Filipina icon defeated various high-profile rivals en route to winning her first WTA Tour-level title in Washington, including Qinwen Zheng, Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka.
Eala capped off her week by defeating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a rain-delayed final contest.
How do you rate Alex Eala’s chances of winning the US Open title this year?
Eala has just won her first WTA Tour title at the Washington Open!
Eala has impressed many in the tennis community, including Rafael Nadal and her own coach Joan Bosch.
Danielle Collins, the former world number eight, was also left stunned by Eala’s performances in the American capital.
Danielle Collins ‘blown away’ by Alex Eala’s Washington Open campaign
Steve Johnson, the former world number 21, began the Tennis Channel discussion by noting Eala’s tough path to the title in Washington.
“Just looking at the list of players that she beat in this event, this wasn’t an accidental title,” Johnson, a winner of four ATP Tour events, stated.
“She took down Qinwen Zheng, last year’s champion Leylah Fernandez, and then Svitolina, Osaka, Pegula.
“This was an unbelievable week for her to get all these wins and to cap it off with a title in emphatic fashion.
“It’s always nice when you can have a stress-free third set on your way to a title, and this is just going to continue the Eala mania.
“I don’t know how it’s going to get bigger but it just is.”
Alex Eala’s 2026 Washington Open path to the title
- Round one – defeated Qinwen Zheng 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
- Round two – defeated Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6
- Quarter-finals – defeated Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-4
- Semi-finals – defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2
- Final – defeated Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
Danielle Collins continued the analysis, heaping praise on the young Filipina.
“To beat Pegula 6-0 in the final set to take the title – a lot went well for her in that third set,” said the American.
“I just think the players that she beat throughout this tournament… what I was really impressed with too is how she’s improved against playing against big hitting opponents like Qinwen Zheng, like Naomi Osaka, being able to absorb that power and really use it against them.
“I think she’s improving a lot on her serve. Her returns are just so deadly. We saw that in the final set against Pegula.
“I’m just really blown away by how she’s playing right now,” Collins [pictured below] concluded.
After triumphing in Washington, Eala is set to resume her campaign at the Canadian Open – hosted in Toronto.
Eala will play American Alycia Parks in her opening match; a player who the 21-year-old lost to at the Australian Open earlier this year.
The winner of Eala and Parks will play either Caty McNally or Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in the Canadian Open third round.
How far can Alex Eala go with this Canadian Open draw?
She could play the Wimbledon champion in round three…
Alex Eala’s 2025 Canadian Open campaign
Eala was rather unfortunate at last year’s Canadian Open as she was handed a first-round match against 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
Eala began the match in fine form, claiming the opening set.
However, she was unable to hold onto her lead, eventually succumbing to a 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 defeat.
Vondrousova struck seven aces and won 79 per cent of her first-serve points.
Eala failed to land a single ace, winning 58 per cent of her first-serve attempts.
Consequently, Eala earned just 10 ranking points at last year’s Canadian Open.
Vondrousova was beaten in the second round by Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 3-6, 2-6.
