Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 574 commending Alexandra “Alex” Eala for her historic championship win at the 2026 Mubadala DC Open, making her the first Filipino tennis player to capture a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles title.
Filed on August 4, the resolution recognizes Eala as “the most successful Filipino tennis player in history” who cemented her position “as one of the most celebrated and inspiring athletes in Philippine sports.”
“Ang tagumpay ni Alex ay hindi lamang tagumpay ng isang Pilipino. Tagumpay ito ng buong bayan. Dala-dala ni Alex sa balikat niya ang buong Pilipinas. Ipinagmamalaki natin si Alex, tulad na lamang ng pagmamalaki niya sa kanyang pagka-Pilipino tuwing siya ay lumalaban, matalo man o manalo,” the senator said.
“Kita naman natin sa tagumpay ni Alex na kapag tinapatan ng sipag, disiplina, at sakripisyo ang talentong tulad ng kanya, kayang-kaya makipagsabayan at manguna ng mga atletang Pilipino sa buong mundo,” he added.
Eala secured her maiden WTA crown in Washington, D.C. after mounting a thrilling three-set comeback in the final against top seed and World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. The victory served as redemption against Pegula, who had stopped Eala’s breakout run in the Miami Open semifinals.
En route to her historic title, Eala defeated defending champion Leylah Fernandez, World No. 10 Elina Svitolina, and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, propelling her to a career-high World No. 20 ranking.
In his resolution, the lawmaker lauded Eala’s trademark swift returns and resilience that continue to inspire young dreamers across the nation.
“Hindi dapat iilan lamang ang nagkakaroon ng pagkakataong maabot ang ganitong tagumpay. Kung nais nating mas marami pang atletang Pilipino ang magtagumpay sa pandaigdigang entablado, kailangan nating tiyaking may sapat silang suporta, dekalidad na pagsasanay, at maayos na mga pasilidad mula pa lamang sa simula,” Pangilinan said.
The Mubadala DC Open, held annually at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C., is the only combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 hard-court tournament in the world. Operating under the WTA, the principal organizing body for women’s professional tennis, the WTA 500 tier sits directly below Grand Slams and WTA 1000 events.
KIKO FILES RESOLUTION HONORING ALEX EALA FOR HISTORIC FIRST WTA TITLE AT 2026 MUBADALA DC OPEN
