Washington Open Owner Makes Bold Claim About Alex Eala, Historic Filipino Crowd

Mark Ein did not know what he would find when the gates opened Monday at the Mubadala DC Open.

Rain had forced the women’s final between Alex Eala and Jessica Pegula into an unscheduled second day. Monday championship matches are rare in professional tennis, and organizers had little reason to expect the same atmosphere that greeted the players Sunday.

Instead, spectators returned in force—many wearing Philippine colors and carrying flags—to watch Eala complete a historic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 comeback.

The scene left Ein, the tournament chairman whose MDE Sports acquired the event’s management rights in 2019, searching for an appropriate comparison.

“This might be the greatest crowd for a Monday final anyone’s ever seen,” Ein said during the trophy ceremony.

Alex Eala’s Drawing Power Surprised Washington

Getty Alexandra Eala of the Philippines holds 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.

The attendance did not come entirely without warning.

Before Eala played her opening match, Ein revealed that at least 80% of the questions received by the tournament’s ticketing team involved the 21-year-old Filipina.

That was remarkable considering the draw included Pegula, Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Madison Keys, Elina Svitolina and defending champion Leylah Fernandez.

Eala justified every inquiry.

She rallied from a set and a break down to defeat Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng in the opening round. She then eliminated Fernandez, Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka before overcoming top-seeded Pegula in the final.

The weather interruption only added another test. Pegula won the opening set Sunday before play was suspended with Eala leading 2-1 in the second. When the match resumed Monday, Eala won 10 of the remaining 13 games.

The victory made Eala the first Filipino player to win a WTA Tour singles title and lifted her to a career-high No. 20 in the rankings, according to Reuters.

Mark Ein Predicts More History for Eala

Getty Alexandra Eala of the Philippines reacts 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.

Ein recalled seeing Eala wear a Nike shirt featuring a Filipino expression that translated to, “Once it grows, it can’t stop.”

The slogan proved an irresistible description of her week.

“You are growing right here before all of our eyes,” Ein told Eala in remarks shared on X.

Ein praised Eala for surviving one of the tournament’s most difficult possible paths and said she fully deserved the championship. His message went beyond recognizing what she had accomplished in Washington. He predicted that the momentum surrounding her would not be easily contained.

The evidence had been sitting in the stands all week.

Filipino supporters transformed Eala’s matches into celebrations. Their presence was especially striking in the final, when an American star playing in the nation’s capital found herself competing against a decidedly pro-Eala crowd.

Pegula graciously acknowledged their impact, thanking Filipino fans for helping tennis grow internationally.

Ein understood the larger meaning, too. Eala arrived as one of the tournament’s greatest attractions, then left as its champion and a national trailblazer.

The Monday crowd was not merely a response to discounted admission or an unusual schedule. It was proof of how quickly Eala’s reach has expanded.

Washington expected an inconvenience after the rain. What it received was a glimpse of a global tennis phenomenon gathering speed.

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