Pegula: Why Eala is So Tricky to Play

Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 3, 2026
Photo credit: Mubadala DC Open Facebook

In a rare Monday final of pure ball strikers, Alexandra Eala imposed the first strike for the last word.

Then 21-year-old Eala erupted through eight straight games dismissing Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to capture her maiden Tour-level title at the Mubadala DC Open today.

It’s a historic title run: Eala is the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA title.

Filipina phenom Eala capped a career breakthrough week that saw her take out the top three seeds—the top-seeded Pegula, second-seeded Elina Svitolina and third-seeded Naomi Osaka—as well as defending-champion Leylah Fernandez and Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng Qinwen.

Facing some of the most dangerous returners in the sport, Eala backed up her sometime mid 70 mph second serve with stubborn defiance. Pegula did not earn a break point after play resumed in today’s final, which was suspended on Sunday afternoon with the world No. 3 leading 6-4, 1-2. That serving effort came after Eala won nine of 10 second-serve points in the opening set of her 6-4, 6-2 semifinal sweep of Osaka.

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The 2024 US Open finalist Pegula said the left-handed Eala is a tricky opponent because of her passion, pure shotmaking skills and her disorientating down the line drives that can follow short second serves.

Throughout this title run, Eala sometimes dragged opponents off the court with short-angled serves on the ad side before detonating her down the line forehand strike.

The combination was as jarring as following a feather duster serving jab with a flame thrower forehand finish.

“She’s tricky to play against,” Pegula said. “She’s a lefty, she hits the ball well, she kind of baits you with her lefty serve. I have seen her in the gym a lot.

“I think she’s trying to work on getting stronger and moving a little bit better, and I think that’s stuff that’s probably just going to come with time.”

The 2022 US Open girls’ champion Eala improved to 28-17 on the season scoring her fifth consecutive Top 10 win. Pegula said Eala’s superb ball striking and stubborn competitive spirit are essential elements to her success.

“Listen, she’s a great ball striker, great player, great competitor. I think we have seen that over the last few years,” Pegula said. “She’s had good results.

“I think this year it seems like she’s finding more consistency with her results. She’s beaten quite a few top players this year, including myself.”

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In addition to dynamic play, Eala has emerged as a charismatic competitor, who has drawn enthusiastic and vocal Filipino fans to her matches around the world.

The Alex Army rivals the Fonseca Force, Brazilian fans who come out in vocal support of Joao Fonseca, as a fan force in today’s tennis.

In fact, when it comes to pure passion and vocal support for their player, you can argue the Alex Army has already outpaced other notable fan forces we’ve seen in recent years: the Genie Army, the Carota Boys, the Halepenos, the Netheads, the Samurais and the J-Block.

You’d probably have to go back to Guga Gang, the festive crew of Brazilian fans who turned Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten matches into festive tennis carnivals banging on drums and singing in unison, to find a fan base so passionate about their player that they can sometimes become a collective chorus in the play.

“I just think it’s so refreshing and nice to see how well she’s handled all of the kind of fandom and stardom that’s come with her being from the Philippines and how they’ve really embraced her,” Pegula said. “It’s crazy how she deals with it every single week, which just shows her maturity as a player and as a person.

“I have a lot of respect for her, and I like her a lot. I think she’s a really nice girl. Yeah, it’s cool to see what she’s brought to the women’s game, and yeah, she’s great.”