Alexandra Eala and Taylor Fritz are Washington Title Winners!
Locker Room
August 4, 2026
Alexandra Eala dissolved into tears as she completed her storming comeback against tournament favourite Jessica Pegula.
The Filipino element in the raucous Monday crowd were simply delirious. Their first big title in the history of tennis.
And Eala celebrated in style once she had picked herself up off of the floor, roaring like a lioness along with her flag-waving supporters.
For Pegula, the final minutes represented another capitulation. She had been a set ahead before the protracted, thunderous rain delay.
The 21-year-old underdog dominated from the restart to claim an emphatic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory. Cue pandemonium.
Alexandra Eala has a year to strengthen her game further still in time for Wimbledon 2027. But she is already a new force in tennis.
‘I feel so much love,’ said Eala. ‘I knew whatever happened, this match would have already been a win for me.
‘My first chance at a title, knowing it won’t be the last. And already I’ve achieved this milestone in my career.’
Meanwhile Kristina Lyutova won the inaugural Memphis Open at the tender age of 16! She beat Daria Vidmanova by a rollercoaster 1-6, 6-1 6-3 to claim her first WTA 250 title.
There was a first-title feeling for Taylor Fritz, too – his first title of the year, that is. After losing finals in Dallas, Halle and Stuttgart, Fritz finally hit the jackpot at home.
Despite looking the more nervous of the two finalists in the early exchanges, the American’s superior experience began to tell in the bigger moments.
Fritz came through 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 against young Spaniard Rafael Jodar, who now enters the top twenty!
And Taylor’s freshness was partly down to this being his first tournament since his Wimbledon quarter-final defeat to Alexander Zverev.
Alexandra Eala, Taylor Fritz and Rafael Jodar will be top contenders when Wimbledon 2027 comes around next summer.
For now, Fritz was just delighted to rediscover that winning feeling on a showpiece occasion.
He reflected humorously: ‘I’ve given this [thank you] speech a lot recently – but not as a winner. It’s nice to actually mean it a little bit more this time.’
Watch out for Fritz and Eala as the US Open approaches. We love the energy of Flushing Meadows and the final Grand Slam of the year.
It might give some Americans the appetite to cross the Atlantic next June for the most historic major of them all!
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