Alex Eala, Filipino fans make rare Monday final one to remember

MANILA, Philippines — The stadium at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C., was packed to the rafters, with fans waving Philippine flags of all sizes and cheering for every point won by Alex Eala.

The scene may have been expected for a Sunday final at a tennis tournament—but not for a Monday afternoon match.

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“Monday finals are very rare in tennis. No one can remember the last time it happened here,” said Mubadala DC Open tournament director Mark Ein after Eala beat Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, to win the title.

“Talking to people who spend their life on the tennis tour, they said this might be the greatest crowd for a Monday final anyone’s ever seen.”

It was yet another display of Eala’s growing star power, which has become the talk of the tennis world since her breakthrough run last year.

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Win or lose, Filipino fans have shown up to support Eala at every stop of her tour, carrying witty banners written in Filipino and breaking into “Let’s go, Alex!” chants before almost every service game.

This time, Eala rewarded them with an unforgettable sight—lifting the foot-high golden trophy for the first WTA Tour-level title of her career.

"Especially the Filipino community" 💚

Alexandra Eala thanks her fans after her big win!#MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/ZDHzV3FDRP

— wta (@WTA) August 3, 2026

Eala was quick to thank her supporters for filling the stands—rain or shine, weekend or not—to witness another historic moment for Philippine tennis.

“To all my supporters, thank you, guys. Especially the Filipino community here in DC and back home, wherever you are in the world. I really feel all the love,” Eala said.

The final was originally scheduled for Sunday before rain first delayed and then postponed the match, with Eala trailing Pegula by a set.

When play resumed under sunny skies, Eala came out firing, forcing a deciding set before closing out the championship with a dominant 6-0 third set.

Pegula, who has built a friendship with Eala off the court—even hosting her on her podcast earlier this year—also marveled at the turnout from the Filipino community.

“I can definitely confirm this is probably the best Monday final crowd I’ve seen,” Pegula said. “To all the Filipino fans that came out, you guys are helping grow tennis around the world. I appreciate that. Being a female athlete in tennis, we love to see that grow.”

Another large Filipino crowd is expected when Eala heads to Toronto for the 2026 Canadian Open, where she received a first-round bye.