Tennis: Philippines’ Eala wins first WTA title, Fritz claims DC crown

What the report says

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines won the first WTA Tour-level singles title of her career at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, DC, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on AP and Reuters coverage. The 21-year-old defeated top seed Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a women’s final delayed by rain and spread over two days. Play had been suspended on Sunday with Pegula up a set and leading 2-1 in the second; when the match resumed on Monday, Eala took control and closed out the match with a strong run of games from the baseline and on serve.

The result marked a milestone for Philippine tennis, as Eala became the first player from her country to win a WTA Tour-level singles title. Pegula, who had won the DC Open in 2019, acknowledged Eala’s progress during the trophy presentation and praised her growing support base. Eala said after the win that reaching her first title match already felt like an important step in her career.

In the men’s final, American Taylor Fritz defeated 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar 7-6(2), 6-4 to claim the tournament’s men’s crown and his 11th ATP title. Fritz’s win came as he continued returning to form after a knee injury earlier in the season. The rainy week in the US capital ended with the event serving as a lead-in to the North American hard-court swing before the US Open.