Alexandra Eala is celebrating her major career breakthrough at the 2026 Mubadala DC Open in style. Following her impressive victory over Jessica Pegula in the final, the Filipina showcased her elegant fashion sense during her champion’s photoshoot in Washington, D.C.
Alexandra Eala Poses for DC Open Champion’s Photoshoot
Eala produced a dream campaign at the DC Open, triumphing over Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, No. 2 Elina Svitolina, and No. 3 seed Naomi Osaka to reach the biggest final of her career.
The 21-year-old faced top seed Jessica Pegula in the final on Sunday, Aug. 2. Pegula initially had the upper hand in the contest, taking a 6-4, 1-2 lead before the match was suspended due to rain and eventually postponed.
Eala made a strong turnaround when play resumed on Monday, dominating the remainder of the encounter to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory. The triumph represented her maiden tour-level title and saw her make history as the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour singles trophy.
After all her post-match duties, Eala made her way to the United States Capitol for her champion’s photoshoot. The Filipina cut an elegant figure in a butter yellow dress as she posed with her golden trophy under the sun.
Serving first ✨🏆
Alex Eala | #MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/Dmk0xhsENX
— Mubadala DC Open (@mubadaladcopen) August 4, 2026
What Alexandra Eala Said After Her DC Open Triumph
Eala reflected on her “insane” accomplishment during her post-match press conference, admitting that she never imagined lifting the coveted WTA 500 trophy when she began her campaign.
“I’ve worked really hard and and oh my gosh, winning a 500 is is insane. It’s an incredible milestone for me. At the beginning of the week, there’s no way I would have thought that I would be holding this trophy, and even at the beginning of the year. These things creep up on you and I hold these moments really close to me,” Eala said.
The Filipina also expressed pride in how she navigated a difficult draw, having defeated the tournament’s top three seeds en route to the DC Open title.
“It was a very steep hill. Coming into the tournament, I knew that the competition was super strong and my draw was quite tough. Every match was just a different set of obstacles. So I’m really, really proud. I think I encountered my fair share of obstacles this week,” she added.
Alexandra Eala will now look to build on her momentum at the Canadian Open in Toronto. Following a first-round bye, the 21-year-old will square off against Alycia Parks in her opening match at the WTA 1000 event on Wednesday, Aug. 5.
