Jessica Pegula has just added another big title to her trophy cabinet, having beaten Elina Svitolina last night to win the Dubai Tennis Championships.
After what had been a gruelling week for the American, she emerged triumphant against a hugely in-form player, winning with remarkable ease.
However, despite her latest triumph, it was another player who had stolen the show in Dubai days before this final: Alexandra Eala.
Having once again taken over a tournament with her legion of adoring fans, this event proved no different.
Such is Eala’s influence, she even made her way into Jessica Pegula’s championship press conference.
Jessica Pegula claims Alexandra Eala is doing something special
Asked to discuss the Filipina sensation, who is taking over tennis with support unlike anything that has ever been seen before, the American had nothing but kind words to say about the youngster.
In fact, Pegula reserved special praise for how Eala is dealing with such pressure and scrutiny, noting: “Yeah, Alex is amazing.
Does anybody else even come close to Alex Eala’s popularity right now?
“The way she’s been able to pack stadiums and the way her country supports her is something special. She handles it so maturely, with such grace. She seems so appreciative of all the support she gets. Always seems to have a good head on her shoulders and a good attitude about it.
“It’s amazing. I played her when she kind of broke out last year in Miami. I’m from there. The whole crowd was against me. I was like, What on earth is going on? Where did these people come from?
“Week after week as she has done well and established herself as a really good player on tour, they all come out to support her. I think we saw that in Australia, when it was kind of overcrowded, they put her on too small of a court.
“We saw it here. You can hear it from the hotel. You can hear the crowd roaring at night. It’s incredible. I think it’s awesome for what she’s doing for the sport. She’s a perfect role model for it. I’m sure she wants to inspire girls, Filipino girls, to play tennis and go after their dream. It’s awesome for the sport. Yeah, it’s really, really cool. I think we just had a tournament there that she played.”
What is the best win of Alexandra Eala’s career so far? 🤔
Iga Swiatek in Miami, Clara Tauson at the US Open, Jasmine Paolini in Dubai, or a different match?
Pegula also insisted that she wanted to bring Eala on to her podcast too, The Player’s Box.
Jessica Pegula agrees with Coco Gauff’s thoughts on Alexandra Eala
The impact that Eala is already having on tennis, despite having played just under a full year of professional tour-level tennis, is astounding.
She has cultivated one of the biggest and most vocal fanbases in sporting history and seems to only be growing with each new event.
What’s arguably even more impressive is, as Pegula says, how she handles herself despite having the pressure of an entire nation and beyond at her back.
It’s certainly impressed Coco Gauff, who had nothing but praise for her after their match earlier this week.
She admitted on court: “I’d like to thank Alex for bringing a new demographic to the sport. I really appreciate it. I think it’s great.
“I know sometimes it’s tough when you’re playing against a ‘home’ crowd, but I think that it’s great for the sport, so keep being enthusiastic, and keep rooting for your player.”
Gauff also pointed out what she found weird about her match with Eala, speaking afterwards.
