Alexandra Eala became the first Philippine player to win a WTA singles title, defeating top seed Jessica Pegula at the Washington Open, while Taylor Fritz captured his first trophy of the season in the men's final.
Alexandra Eala etched her name into Philippine sporting history on Monday by claiming her maiden WTA Tour singles title at the Washington Open. The 21-year-old Filipina recovered from a set deficit to upset top-seeded American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a final that resumed following rain delays. Eala trailed by a set but held a 2-1 advantage in the second when play resumed, eventually winning 10 of 13 games after the restart to secure her breakthrough victory.
Eala's dominant performance, particularly her commanding display in the final set, showcased her improved form against elite opposition. The victory extended her winning streak against top-10 ranked players to five consecutive matches, including recent victories over Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Elina Svitolina. Following the win, Eala is projected to reach a career-high ranking of number 20 in the updated WTA standings.
In the men's final, American Taylor Fritz captured his first title of 2024 after a closely contested match against Spanish teenager Rafa Jodar. Fritz prevailed 7-6(2), 6-4, with neither player surrendering serve during an opening set that went to a tiebreak. The American broke Jodar early in the second set and maintained his advantage despite late pressure from the teenager.
Fritz's triumph provides momentum as he heads into the Canadian Open, the final ATP Masters 1000 event preceding the U.S. Open. As a top American player, Fritz enters those tournaments as a leading contender to help end the United States' men's Grand Slam singles title drought, which stretches back to Andy Roddick's 2003 U.S. Open victory.
