Alexandra Eala has firmly established herself as one of the WTA Tour’s fastest-rising talents, and she has even prompted reigning Dubai champion Jessica Pegula to weigh in. Fresh off her WTA 1000 triumph in Dubai, the American spoke candidly about the young Filipino’s progress while also echoing Coco Gauff’s recent view on her fandom.
Jessica Pegula Echoes Coco Gauff’s Sentiments on Alexandra Eala’s Ability To Draw Massive Crowds
Many tennis fans have been closely tracking Eala’s trajectory, given her growing reputation as a player capable of troubling the WTA’s elite. Notably, at the Australian Open, her first-round appearance turned into a statement of its own.
A massive wave of Filipino supporters, along with local fans, packed Court 6 to cheer her on, despite it being far too small to accommodate the swelling crowd. Although she fell to Alycia Parks, the overwhelming turnout underscored the level of backing she commands.
In fact, Eala’s 2026 campaign has been anything but quiet, even if a title still eludes her. The 20-year-old opened the year with a semifinal run in Auckland, followed it up with a quarterfinal finish at the WTA 125 event in Manila, and continued her steady surge with back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Moreover, her quarterfinal finish in Abu Dhabi also propelled her to a career-high ranking of No. 40, though she is currently ranked No. 47 in the world.
Her latest run in Dubai ended in straight sets against Gauff, but the consistency she has displayed across tournaments underlines a season building momentum. As has become a trend in many of her matches, the center court was awash with Filipino supporters passionately backing Eala. In fact, Gauff praised the energy after her win, calling it “great for the sport” and encouraging the fans to continue bringing that same enthusiasm.
Similar sentiments were echoed by World No. 5 Pegula in her press conference after winning the WTA 1000 event in Dubai. She also wished to have the youngster on her podcast soon.
“Alex is amazing! Hopefully she is the next podcast guest and we can get to know her and talk to her more. But the way she has been able to pack stadiums and the way that her country supports her is something special. And she handles it so maturely and with so much grace. She just feels so appreciative of all the support she gets,” she said.
The American also reflected on the overwhelming Filipino support Eala attracted during the semifinals of the 2025 Miami Open, admitting she was amazed by how firmly the crowd was behind her opponent.
“And always seems to have a head on her shoulders and a good attitude about it. And it’s amazing. I played her when she kind of broke out last year in Miami. And I am from there and the whole crowd was against me and I was like “What on earth is going on?” Like “Where did these people come from?” She added.
“And week after week, she has done well and established herself as a really good player on tour, they all come out to support her and exactly we saw that in Australia, when it was over crowded and they put her on too small of a court. We saw it here, you could here it from the hotel and you could here the crowd roaring, specially at night,” she said.
READ MORE: Why Did Coco Gauff Apologize to Alexandra Eala Fans? Banter and More Ahead of Their Dubai Clash
Pegula further praised Eala for inspiring young girls, especially in the Philippines, calling her a strong role model. She also highlighted Eala’s impact on the growth of tennis’ popularity.
“So it’s incredible and it’s awesome what she is doing for the sport, she is perfect role model for it. I am sure she wants to inspire next generational girls and Filipino girls to play tennis and go after their dreams. So i feel it’s awesome for the sport. It’s really cool and we just had a tournament there as well that she played,” she added.
Last year’s Miami Open semifinal marked the first, and so far only, tour-level meeting between Alexandra Eala and Jessica Pegula. Eala’s resolve immediately tested the American, pushing the opening set into a tiebreak that Pegula edged 7-6(3).
Unfazed, the Filipino claimed the second set 7-5 to force a decider. Though Pegula ultimately steadied herself to take the final set 6-3, Eala’s spirited performance in the event underscored her ability to challenge the very best. Notably, she had also stunned World No. 2 Iga Swiatek in straight sets in the quarterfinal of that WTA event.
