ALEX EALA WINS THE 2026 DC OPEN!

Okay. So I can finally blog about Alex Eala. As I mentioned in my previous blogs, I don't like writing about people I'm rooting for because I don't want to jinx them.

I also don't want to write a bandwagon blog. I don't want to blog just for the sake of riding the wave, even if it would bring more eyes to my site.

That said, all eyes, sleepy or wide awake, were on Alex Eala's quest to become the first Filipino to win a WTA 500 tennis tournament. And while I hate Mondays, Jessica Pegula might hate them even more, as Alex went scorched earth almost 24 hours after the final was postponed, winning the title in under an hour, capped by a flawless 6-0 third set.

Thanks to Alex Eala, I finally learned to enjoy watching tennis. And now that I know a thing or two about the sport, I finally understand why some tennis fans say that Eala doesn't have a fixed game plan and instead adjusts her strategy based on her opponent.

Of course, if you're Filipino, you'll probably understand her approach.

In boxing terms, Alex Eala is a southpaw. A leftie. That's why she returns the ball so well, and it often feels like everything she does is reactionary, yet remarkably effective. You can see her use both hands to power her returns on her right side, but when she gets the opportunity, she absolutely wallops the ball with just her left hand. Even in everyday tasks, doing something with your left hand feels different, especially if you're not naturally left-handed. And with the majority of players being right-handed, that alone gives her a subtle advantage against her opponents.

I guess it also helps that she studies her opponents. In her post-match interview, she gave a shoutout to Pegula's forehand lines and backhand crosses. Now, I don't know if that knowledge came from competing on tour together, watching film, or having a great coaching staff that prepares her thoroughly, but the fact that she acknowledged those strengths tells me that she and her team have a game plan for every match.

Maybe my mind-blown moment isn't as mind-blowing as I think it is, but it feels like her shots have some extra bite whenever she unleashes a left-handed return, similar to how Manny Pacquiao rattled opponents with his signature left hand.

Anyway, I visited eBay and COMC after the match, and I was so happy to see that I own two Alex Eala rookie cards. The $10 base card I bought is now listed at $39 on COMC.

My July 2026 COMC haul. That Earl Strickland card is also cool!

No, I won't be walking around with the card in my hand just in case I randomly run into her at a mall because that's just not me.

What I will do is watch more of her matches now that I know how entertaining they are.

I mean, if you're her opponent and there's a platoon of rowdy Filipino fans just waiting for a reason to erupt, the best thing you can do is keep them quiet. That said, it feels like she's the women's tennis equivalent of a Ginebra crowd, considering how passionately the Filipino community rallies behind her.

And now that she's finally won a major title, the next step is to make winning these tournaments the norm. She's good enough not to get carried away by the hype surrounding her.

Now it's time for her to keep climbing the WTA rankings and continue her giant-slaying ways.

Congrats!