Turning another page to her legend, Alexandra "Alex" Eala essayed a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback win against 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen of China in Round 1 of the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open in Washington on Wednesday morning at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.
The 21-year-old Filipina had a commanding performance against the Olympic champion, overcoming a 4-6 defeat in the opener to claim the match. This victory adds another Olympic champion to Eala's giant-killing list, following her previous wins against silver winner Donna Vekic of Croatia and Iga Swiatek of Poland.
Eala will now face reigning champion and No. 7 seed Leylah Fernandez, a Filipina-Canadian representing Canada, in a bid to secure her spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA-500 tourney. With her all-time high confidence and more experience, Eala is liking her chances in every tourney.
After the Mubadala tournament, Eala will also compete in the National Bank Open in Toronto and Cincinnati Open, leading up to the US Open, the season's final Grand Slam, on Aug. 30 to Sept. 13 in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Eala's refined composure in the post-game presser was evident, as she stated that her mindset has been trained and practiced, allowing her to implement it at a higher level. With a win over Qinwen, WTA No. 123, Eala has now beaten all the Olympic medalists in Paris.
However, Eala vowed to give more, starting with finally beating Fernandez after a 6-1, 6-4 loss in the Stuttgart Open earlier this year. Eala is super excited about the challenge and will do everything she can to secure a victory.
The Filipino support has also played a significant role in Eala's success, with the athlete expressing her gratitude to everyone who has been supporting her. The Mubadala organizers have also acknowledged the massive following of Eala, with at least 80% of the inquiries and requests for this year being about her match schedules.
