Better than before, Eala eyes redemption vs Pegula with Washington title at stake

DISBELIEF. The Philippines' Alex Eala in action in the 2026 Washington Open. Mubadala DC Open Instagram page In pursuit of continuous personal growth, Alex Eala hopes her progress translates into a breakthrough crown when she tangles with world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the Washington Open final MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala needs no extra motivation as she vies for her first-ever WTA Tour crown against Jessica Pegula. In pursuit of continuous personal growth, Eala hopes her progress translates into a breakthrough crown when she tangles with the world No. 3 American in the final of the Washington Open in the United States on Sunday, August 2 (Monday, August 3, Manila time). “I still have so much motivation to become a better player, become a better person. I’m 21, so it’s not like I’m the queen of the world or anything,” Eala told Tennis Channel when asked about her “rockstar” status on tour, with large crowds of supporters now a familiar sight at her matches. “I think another thing is that tennis is such a humbling sport. Another thing is I look back at how far I’ve come or where I come from, and I’ve come a long way.” Eala has indeed made remarkable strides, reaching her first WTA 500 final and earning another shot at a maiden tour-level title after falling heartbreakingly short in the 2025 Eastbourne Open. But overcoming Pegula is no easy feat: Pegula already beat Eala before. It was Pegula who prevented Eala from extending her magical run in the 2025 Miami Open, the American outlasting the Filipina in three sets in the semifinal of the WTA 1000 tournament. Pegula, whose billionaire parents Terry and Kim Pegula own NFL team Buffalo Bills, has won a pair of titles this year after conquering the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships and the WTA 500 Charleston Open. Eala believes she has improved since her last meeting with Pegula, but she understands the daunting task ahead. “I think, I would say, if I compare myself now to then, I’m more well-rounded. I think I’m physically a little better,” Eala said. “I would say that everything, all the aspects have kind of improved at the same pace.” “But then again, each player is always evolving and improvement is not a linear thing. Every match is different and I’m sure Jess has also changed so much in these 18 months so it’s going to be great.” – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading