September 7, 2025 | 1:02pm
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala might have gained her first WTA title in overseas soil, however the assist of her kababayans was as loud as again residence.
Eala gained her first WTA championship within the Guadalajara 125 Open early Sunday morning (Manila time) in Mexico.
And absolutely, the assist she acquired from Filipinos in Mexico made her title run a lot, a lot sweeter.
“After all, to everybody who got here right here right now, mga kababayan, maraming, maraming salamat,” Eala mentioned.
She careworn that the assist made her victory “way more particular.”
After a sluggish begin within the remaining match, absorbing a 1-6 defeat within the first set, Eala stormed again with the gang cheering loudly, digging deep within the second and third units to win the title in opposition to Panna Udvardy, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.
This, then, gave the Rafa Nadal Academy graduate her first WTA title, and the money prize of $115,000, or about P6.5 million.
The Filipinos’ assist for Eala has been loud even overseas.
Within the US Open, her opponent within the first spherical, Clara Tauson, needed to complain to the chair umpire concerning the rowdy crowd noise.
This, then, compelled the umpire to warn the spectators.
However, the pro-Eala crowd was simply too intense because the Filipina made historical past, being the primary tennis participant from the Philippines to mark a win in the primary draw of the Grand Slam within the Open period.
And whereas the gang noise could also be a distraction for her at instances, Eala absolutely banks on the assist from fellow Filipinos for added increase and motivation.
She will probably be again in motion within the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil, the place she is seeded third.
