Alex Eala's historic triumph at the 2026 Mubadala DC Open did not just earn her a prestigious championship trophy — it also came with a multi-million peso prize.
The Filipino tennis star made history after defeating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula of the United States to capture her first WTA title, completing a stunning 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 triumph in the championship match.
With the victory, the 21-year-old became the first Filipino tennis player to win a WTA Tour singles title. The breakthrough also propelled her eight spots up the latest PIF WTA Rankings to a career-high world No. 20 after collecting 500 ranking points, making her the first Filipina to break into the WTA Top 20.
Along with the ranking milestone came a hefty payday.
According to the official WTA website, players receive different ranking points and prize money depending on how far they advance in the tournament. As this year's champion, Alex took home 500 ranking points along with US$252,000, or more than ₱15 million.
With that, Alex had already amassed US$1,537,330, or more than ₱93.3 million, in prize money in 2026 alone.
Meanwhile, Jessica as the runner-up, received US$155,000, equivalent to more than ₱9 million.
Still, for Alex, the biggest reward went far beyond the financial prize.
Following her historic victory, the young Filipina reflected on the overwhelming support she received from family, friends, and fans throughout the tournament.
"Before the final yesterday, I got so many messages, sweet messages from my family and my friends who are on tour, wherever else in the world. I thought to myself, I feel so much love," Alex said during her post-match interview.
"So standing here in the middle of all this love, my first chance at a title, knowing that it won't be my last, and already having achieved this feat and this milestone for my career, I knew that whatever would have happened after this match, it would have already been a win for me," she added.
Alex also took the opportunity to thank everyone who stood behind her throughout her journey.
"Thank you to all my supporters especially the Filipino community here in DC and back home, and wherever you are in the world... I feel all the love. Maraming, maraming salamat mga kababayan," she said.
Her historic achievement sparked celebrations across the globe, with congratulatory messages pouring in from tennis legend Rafael Nadal, Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., among many others. Filipinos from around the world also celebrated, expressing pride as Alex once again raised the Philippine flag on the international stage.