TENNIS mania has followed Alex Eala in Washington D.C. as Mubadala DC Open chairman Mark Ein revealed that ticket sales skyrocketed because of the Filipino tennis sensation.
It is not surprising that the stands were filled when Eala plays because, according to the Institute for Immigration Research, there are over 4,000 Filipino residents in Washington DC and 46,000 Filipino immigrants along the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan area.
“Over the last month, the ticketing team informed us that at least 80 percent of the sales or more of the requests in this tournament are all about when Alex Eala is playing,” Ein shared.
“Honestly, I think it’s more, and they just didn’t want to say it was more, but they’re, like, virtually all. It’s not an exaggeration. That’s actually what they tell me,” he added.
The chairman also acknowledged that beyond Eala’s following, it is also a testimony that Filipinos are everywhere.
“When you look at the amazing players here and how many great stars there are, it says something about Alex’s following. Obviously she’s been an icon, become an icon in the Philippines, but worldwide. So there’s obviously Filipinos everywhere,” he said.
After Eala’s first win in the tournament against Qinwen Zheng of China, she was asked what it is like to have a huge following wherever she goes.
The Filipino candidly replied: “I think the right question is, ‘What is it like to be a Filipino?’” Ein understood the marketability of Eala and has previously told his team that they should have her in the tournament.
“I will say, earlier this year in the early spring our team said, this is a phenomenon that’s spreading, and we should try to get Alex to come to Washington. Having her here is honestly one of the really great things that’s already happened this year,” he said.
Early Thursday morning (Manila time) Eala survived a grueling second set to prevail over last year's champion Leylah Fernandez of Canada, 6-1, 7-6, in the round of 16 of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open.
Ranked No. 28 in the world, Eala also exacted revenge over the No. 36 Filipino-Canadian after losing in their first face-off at the Stuttgart Open last April 14.
After easily taking the first frame, Eala needed to climb an uphill battle as Fernandez, whose mother is from the Philippines, grabbed a 5-1 lead and was poised to forge a deciding third set.
However, Eala dug deep and matched the defending champ’s pace with her strong forehand swings to pull off a stunning rally and take a 6-5 lead.
Not to be outdone, Fernandez retaliated by leveling the score at 6-all. In the tiebreak, it was an all-Eala show as she outsmarted Fernandez with a series of placement shot to secure the win.
This is Eala's fifth quarterfinals appearance in the 2026 WTA season. She will next face either Polina Kudermetova of Russia or Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the quarterfinals.
The match between No. 108 Kudermetova and No. 10 Svitolina is scheduled on Friday at 8 a.m. (Manila time).
With Svitolina heavily favored, Eala could be in line for a rematch against the higher-ranked player. The Filipina previously defeated the Ukrainian, 6-3, 6-4, at the ASB Classic on June 20.
