Alex Eala shows patience is her biggest asset

Alexandra Eala experienced something of delayed gratification on Monday after she won her first WTA Title in Washington almost 24 hours into the final against top seed and world No 3 Jessica Pegula.

Monday’s second half required a different level of maturity and not just because Eala was staring down a 32-year-old veteran across the net with 11 titles to her name.

She also had to manage her nerves, energy level and focus over what turned out to be a two-day match.

"It was a very steep hill," Eala said, having beaten 2024 Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, four-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka on her way to the final. "I knew that the competition was super-strong and my draw was quite tough. So I'm really, really proud. I think I encountered my fair share of obstacles this week."

Asked how the 24 hours between the two halves of her final had gone, Eala added: “I think I warmed up 1,000 times.”

The 21-year-old Filipina, though, knows how to play the waiting game. While her peers like Mirra Andreeva, Victoria Mboko, Iva Jovic and Maya Joint already had at least one WTA title prior to Eala winning on Monday, the new top-20 entrant always believed she would get there one day.

She produced a rock-solid service display and an impressive array of winners after staring down the barrel on Sunday. She won the last nine games on Monday, surrendering just eight points in the third set.

Pegula was her seventh top-10 scalp this year and if one were to ask any of the top stars who they would hate to be facing across the net, the left-handed counter-puncher would be at the top of their list, given she holds a 9-4 record against players in the top 10. Only three other players in the history of the women’s game have scored more wins in their first 13 matches against top-10 opposition ­– Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles and Steffi Graf.

A sea of Philippine flags decorated the stands throughout Sunday's rain-interrupted session and remained visible Monday, with the lower bowl filled for the resumption. Chants for Eala routinely outweighed those for the top-ranked American playing on home soil.

"It's not fun to play against, but I do appreciate the really fun atmosphere," Pegula said of the crowd. "I think it's amazing."

The American added: "I just think it's so refreshing and nice to see how well she's handled all of the kind of fandom and stardom that's come with her being from the Philippines and how they've really embraced her.

"It's crazy how she deals with it every single week, which just shows her maturity as a player and as a person."

Ahead of the final, Eala revealed the improvements she had brought to her game.

"I'm more well-rounded. I'm physically a little bit better. I've improved on a couple of my strokes. Serve has also improved quite a bit." she said and it clearly showed.

And by the time the final had ended, the Filipino expression written across the Nike T-shirt she had worn earlier that week had become a reality.

"Once it grows, it cannot be stopped."

Both players will now head to Toronto, where two-time champion Pegula is the third seed and Eala is seeded 25th in the WTA 1000 hard court event.