Alexandra Eala, a 21-year-old from the Philippines, etched her name in tennis history by defeating top seed Jessica Pegula in the final of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, D.C., becoming the first player from her country to win a WTA Tour-level singles title.

The weather-disrupted final, which spanned two days due to rain, saw Pegula take the first set 6-4 and lead 2-1 in the second before play was suspended on Sunday. When action resumed on Monday, Eala dominated, winning 10 of the final 13 games with aggressive baseline play and a formidable serve to seal a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory.

An emotional Eala said on court: “I feel so much love. My first chance at a title, knowing it won’t be the last, and already having achieved this milestone for my career. I knew whatever happened after this match would have already been a win for me.”

Pegula, who won the DC Open in 2019, praised her opponent’s remarkable run: “To see how far you’ve come over the last couple of years… to see the amazing fans that follow you every place you go, it’s not fun to play against, but I think it’s amazing.”

In the men’s final, American Taylor Fritz claimed his 11th career ATP title by defeating 19-year-old Spanish rising star Rafael Jodar 7-6(2), 6-4. Fritz, returning to form after a knee injury, won 81 percent of his first-serve points and broke decisively in the second set to secure his first title of the season.

The double bill concluded a rain-plagued week in the US capital, as players now head into the North American hardcourt swing ahead of the US Open.

Source: www.aljazeera.com