The 20-year-old Eala defeated Panna Udvardy of Hungary with a score of 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a match at the Grandstand Caliente in Mexico.
(Photo from GDL Open)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised Eala for becoming the first Filipina to achieve a championship in the WTA.
"History has been written by Alex Eala as she becomes the first Filipino to win a singles title," Marcos said in a social media post.
Marcos stated that Eala's victory is a major win for the country, simultaneously assuring that the government will increase its support for Filipino athletes aspiring to follow in her footsteps.
"We will do everything to ensure that more Filipino athletes follow this path and showcase to the world the talent and heart of the Filipino," Marcos declared.
Eala's win at the Guadalajara Open adds to her five International Tennis Federation singles titles and the 2022 US Open girls' trophy.
On August 25, Eala also made history with her loss to Clara Tauson of Denmark at the US Open victory.
