Alexandra Eala beats defending champ Leylah Fernandez at Washington Open
Filipino tennis player Alexandra Eala defeated defending champion Leylah Fernandez at the Washington Open. This victory follows a successful season for Eala, who recently made history as the first Philippine player to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam.
Why it matters
Eala's performance marks a significant rise for Southeast Asian athletes in the global professional tennis circuit.
The win continues a breakout season for Alexandra Eala, who in June at Wimbledon became the first Philippine player to reach last 16 of a Grand Slam.
Listen WASHINGTON – Filipina rising star Alexandra Eala dumped out defending champion Leylah Fernandez to reach the quarter-finals of the Washington Open on July 29.
Eala, 21, defeated the seventh seed from Canada 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) for a place in the WTA Tour tournament’s last eight, battling back from 5-1 down in an epic second set.
It continues a breakout season for Eala, who in June made headlines beating Poland’s Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon to become the first Philippine player to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam, and has soared to 28th in the world rankings.
Eala took the first set 6-2, exploiting multiple unforced errors from Fernandez. The roles reversed early in the second set, which Fernandez led 5-1.
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