Alex Eala got his North American hard court swing off to a flying start with a stunning 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 come-from-behind victory over Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the first round of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open held in Washington DC early Wednesday morning (Philippine time).
The win was Ella’s first career win after losing to Zheng in their only meeting, a three-set semifinal at the 2023 Asian Games, 6-1, 6(5)-7, 6-3.
Eala took the lead in the first set, held serve in the first game, and broke Zheng in the second game to take an early 2-0 advantage. However, Zheng quickly responded and got a break back, then held serve to tie the set at 2-2.
Both players found their rhythm from the baseline and exchanged comfortable holds to keep the score tied at 3-3. The turning point came in the seventh game, when Zheng put sustained pressure on Ila’s serve and got her second break of service of the set to take a 4-3 lead.
The Olympic champion then showed composure in a ferocious eighth game, fending off resistance and clinching a break with a key hold to take a 5-3 advantage.
From there, Chung took control with her serve and confidently held on in the 10th game to take a 6-4 lead and end the first set.
Despite the competitive nature of the first match, the Chinese star held a slim advantage in the exchange of attacks, finishing with 12 winners to Ila’s eight. This is one of the few statistical advantages that separated the pair in the first set.
The second set began with both players looking calm behind their serve, exchanging comfortable holds throughout the first two games. Ila then showed resilience in the third set, avoiding three break points and escaping with a key hold to maintain a 2-1 advantage.
In the next three games, neither player was able to make a return attack, but in the seventh inning, Zheng raised the level and beat Ila at love to take a 4-3 lead. But as the former world No. 4 appeared to be in control, Ila reacted quickly, breaking back straight to erase the lead and tie the set at 4-4.
Building on that momentum, Ira confidently held serve in the ninth game, took advantage of Zheng’s mistakes in the next game, and got another break of serve to clinch the set 6-4 and steal the decisive third game.
Ila’s clean shot-making proved to be the difference in the second set, and she remained calm in the crucial late stages, committing just 10 unforced errors to Chung’s 18.
Eala carried that momentum into the final set, holding serve in the first and third games, breaking Zheng twice in between to take a commanding 4-0 lead. She got off to a hot start, winning seven games in a row late in the second set.
Zheng eventually halted his momentum with a break of serve in the fifth game, but Ila responded strongly and broke back in straight sets to regain a four-game cushion at 5-1.
The Filipino then held on in the seventh game to complete an impressive comeback against the top players.
Awaiting Ila in the Round of 16 will be reigning champion Leila Fernandez, and it promises to be an interesting matchup between two players with Filipino roots.
