ADD AN Olympic champion to Alexandra “Alex” Eala’s giant-killing list.

Eala produced a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback win over 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Zheng Qinwen of China in the opening round of the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open in Washington on Wednesday morning at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.

With little time to recover, the WTA No. 28 was slated at press time to face reigning champion and No. 7 seed Leylah Fernandez, a Filipina-Canadian representing Canada, for a place in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 event.

The Mubadala tournament is Eala’s first stop in the hard-court swing, coming after a strong grass-court campaign. The result adds another notable win to a season in which she has already shown she can handle top-ranked opposition, and the transition to hard courts now begins with a quick turnaround in Washington. Despite a two-week break after a homecoming in the Philippines, she said she is approaching each tournament with growing confidence and more experience.

After Washington, Eala is also scheduled to compete in the National Bank Open in Toronto and the Cincinnati Open before heading to the US Open, the season’s final Grand Slam, set for Aug. 30 to Sept. 13 in Flushing Meadows, New York.

“I think I’ve already had that in me,” Eala said of her improved composure in the post-match press conference after a key breakpoint late in the second set swung momentum in her favor. “I think it’s definitely a mindset that you have. That being said, I think it’s been trained or I’ve practiced. I’ve had more experience now to implement that mindset at a higher level.”

By defeating Zheng, who is ranked WTA No. 123, Eala has now beaten all of the Paris Olympic medalists after also defeating silver medalist Donna Vekic of Croatia, ranked No. 35, and Iga Swiatek of Poland, ranked No. 8, on multiple occasions.

Still, Eala said she believes she has more to give, beginning with an attempt to finally defeat Fernandez after losing to her, 6-1, 6-4, at the Stuttgart Open on clay earlier this year. Fernandez advanced to the Round of 16 after beating WTA No. 65 Magda Linette of Poland, 6-1, 6-4.

“That just comes also with the level of my tennis getting higher because you always want to win and you always want to fight. But I think now with the progress I’ve had this past year, I have a bit more ammunition to back it up,” she said. “I’m super excited. Of course, the quick schedule is part of the job. I will do everything I can (against Ms. Fernandez).”

Before arriving in Washington, the 21-year-old Filipina enjoyed the best stretch of her career on grass, highlighted by a historic Round of 16 finish at Wimbledon, a second career title in Birmingham and a semifinal finish in Berlin.

That experience proved valuable in her hard-court debut, as she absorbed the pressure after dropping serve for a 3-4 deficit in the second set following a 4-6 loss in the opener.

Eala nevertheless showed the poise of a seasoned competitor, even against an Olympic champion, by winning six straight points across the final two sets. She opened the deciding set with a 4-0 run and closed out the match.

As in her match against Zheng at center court in Washington, Eala again leaned on Filipino support.

“The (Filipino) atmosphere makes it so fun to be out on the court. Thank you to everybody,” she said in an interview with PHILTA Board Member and ABS-CBN News’ Dyan Castillejo.

Mubadala organizers said at least 80% of the inquiries and requests for this year were specifically about Eala’s match schedules.

“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 in the Philippines, but (also) worldwide. So, there’s obviously Filipinos everywhere,” said Mubadala Tournament Chairman Mark Ein on the WTA website.

“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.” — John Bryan Ulanday