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Alexandra Eala of the Philippines kisses the Championship Trophy after winning the women’s singles championship match against Jessica Pegula of the United States on the final day of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on August 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. Scott Taetsch/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines — Tennis legend Rafael Nadal congratulated Alex Eala after her landmark victory in the 2026 Mubadala DC Open.
Eala beat top-seeded Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, in the rain-delayed final in Washington, D.C., to capture her first WTA Tour-level title at 21 years old.
READ: Alex Eala, Filipino fans make rare Monday final one to remember
“What an incredible week in Washington! A well-deserved 🏆 for all the hard work,” Nadal posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Nadal also congratulated the team at the Rafa Nadal Academy, where Eala has trained since she was 13.
Now, Eala has a WTA Tour-level title to her name in just her first full season on tour and has emerged as one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars.
Congratulations, @AlexEala05!
What an incredible week in Washington! A well-deserved 🏆 for all the hard work. 👏🏻
Congratulations to 🇵🇭 and to the entire @rnadalacademy team! pic.twitter.com/Ddp8eAN00y
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 3, 2026
Nadal has long been a vocal supporter of Eala, congratulating her on milestones such as her Miami Open breakthrough and her US Open girls’ singles title.
The two also shared the court during a training session last December.
READ: Alex Eala just getting started after WTA Tour breakthrough title
En route to the title, the Filipino tennis star beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, dethroned defending champion Leylah Fernandez and toppled second-seeded Elina Svitolina and third-seeded Naomi Osaka.
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Against Pegula, Eala rallied from a set down before dominating the decider, 6-0.
Eala, who climbed to a career-high world No. 20 on Tuesday, is gearing up for another Grand Slam campaign at the US Open later this month.
