In a thrilling first-round matchup at the 2026 Mubadala Citi DC Open, Filipina star Alex Eala staged a gritty comeback to defeat China’s Zheng Qinwen, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, in two hours and 26 minutes.

The contest initially favored Zheng. After trading early breaks in the first set, the former World No. 4 captured three consecutive games to claim the opener, 6-4. Zheng carried that momentum into the second set, breaking Eala at love to build a 4-3 lead and moving within two games of closing out the match.

WTA Match Highlights

However, Eala displayed remarkable resilience under pressure. The World No. 28 immediately broke back at love, launching a decisive seven-game surge that took the second set, 6-4, and built a commanding 4-0 lead in the decider. Though Zheng momentarily halted the run, Eala quickly sealed the 6-1 third set, leveling their head-to-head record at 1-1 and advancing to face defending champion Leylah Fernandez.