2-1! A 21-year-old Filipino rising star wins her first career title, reversing Zheng Qinwen in the first round and defeating the top three seeds in a row.

In the early hours of August 4, Beijing time, the WTA500 Washington women's singles final concluded with a hard-fought three-set victory. The 21-year-old Filipino newcomer, Eala, battled through three sets to stage a 2-1 comeback against top seed and local favorite Pegula, securing her first-ever WTA singles title.

In the first set, Eala lost 4-6, but the second set was delayed by a day due to weather, giving her a chance to regroup. When play resumed the next day, Eala leveled the match by winning the second set 6-4.

In the decisive set, Eala seemed unstoppable, winning six consecutive games to bagel her opponent. She ultimately reversed Pegula 2-1, claiming her first tour-level singles title and becoming the first Filipino player in history to win a WTA singles championship.

Eala performed exceptionally well throughout the Washington 500 event. In the first round, she came from behind to defeat Chinese star Zheng Qinwen 2-1, and then eliminated Fernandez, Svitolina, Osaka, and Pegula on her way to the title.

Her path to the title included victories over the tournament's top three seeds, making the championship highly valuable. This season, Eala has already recorded seven wins against top-10 players.

With this 500-level title, Eala earned 500 ranking points and a prize of $252,000. Her world ranking climbed to a career-high No. 20.