Alexandra Eala has arrived in Toronto for the Canadian Open after achieving a major milestone at the Mubadala DC Open. Ahead of her opening match at the WTA 1000 event, Eala shed light on her relationship with Leylah Fernandez while also opening up about her dynamic with fellow players of Filipino heritage.
Alexandra Eala Discusses Her Friendship with Leylah Fernandez at the Canadian Open
Eala clinched her maiden tour-level title at the DC Open, claiming a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Jessica Pegula in a final that was played over two days due to rain interrupting play. In addition to her personal accomplishment, the 21-year-old also made history as the first Filipina to win a WTA Tour title.
Eala’s campaign at the WTA 500 event included a 6-2, 7-6(1) win over Leylah Fernandez, which put an end to the Canadian’s title defense. Prior to the contest, the Filipina had spoken highly of Fernandez, describing her as a “great player.”
Upon arriving at the Canadian Open, Eala delved into her relationship with Fernandez during her pre-tournament press conference. She referred to them as friends and acknowledged Fernandez’s Filipino heritage while admitting that she wasn’t too familiar with the Canadian’s background.
“Well, my relationship with Leylah is pretty good. I think we’re friends. No, we’re friends (laughing). She’s a really great person. I have not really dove into her, how you say, heritage or ethnicity. I know she’s half Filipino through her mother. It’s really nice to see,” Eala said.
The 21-year-old then discussed the connections she shares with fellow players of Filipino descent, having formed bonds with American players like Sabrina Santamaria and Desirae Krawczyk because of their shared cultural background.
“I do connect quite well with people of Filipino heritage on tour. Most notably, Sab Santamaria or Desirae. But, yeah, I think it’s really nice to have people who kind of know a little bit about the culture,” she added.
Eala also spoke about reuniting with Venus Williams for the doubles competition in Toronto after ending their DC Open partnership to focus on her singles campaign.
“With Venus, I’m really, really excited to be playing doubles with her again,” she said. “I said last week that, you know, every opportunity I get to share the court with her is super cherished, of course, just because she’s super good, and I think she’s got a great mentality and there’s so much I can learn from her.”
On the singles front, both No. 25 seed Alexandra Eala and No. 30 seed Leylah Fernandez have received first-round byes at the Canadian Open. Eala will kick off her campaign against Alycia Parks, while Fernandez is set to face Renata Zarazúa in the second round of her home event.
