Alex Eala stuns former world No. 4 Zheng Qinwen to reach DC Open Round of 16

Alexandra “Alex” Eala displayed her never-say-die spirit on Tuesday (early Wednesday, Philippine time), as she overcame former world No. 4 Zheng Qinwen, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the Mubadala DC Open Round of 32.

This reaction 👏🥹#MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/NntjoesrHx

— wta (@WTA) July 28, 2026

After taking a quick 2-0 lead in Set 1, the Paris Olympic gold medalist found opportunities to tie the match as she found her groove. Eala halted Zheng’s run, but the Chinese player pulled away and took a 5-3 lead before the Filipina ace salvaged one more game. However, Zheng regained her footing and eventually took the first set.

In the second set, however, Eala displayed her resilience, clawing her way back from a 4-3 deficit by winning the next three games to force a decider.

Riding that momentum, Eala pulled away to a 4-0 lead in Set 3 before Zheng got on the board. The Filipina ace eventually sealed the match by winning the next two games.

After falling behind early, Eala said her coach encouraged her to stay patient and wait for her opportunities.

"He said that, you know, I have to keep going because if I'm there every ball, I'll have my chances. And I did. Like always, he's right."

HIGHLIGHTS | Alex Eala vs Zheng Qinwen (DC Open Round of 32)

Eala will face Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who also has Filipino roots, in the Round of 16.

"Leylah is such an amazing player and an amazing person as well. So I think right now my first priority is to recover and take care of my body so that I can arrive in the best shape possible to compete," she said.

—JKC, GMA News