Alexandra 'Alex' Eala finally broke through, making history as the first Filipino to win a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tournament.
Eala claimed her first tour title after turning back Hungarian Panna Udvardy, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, at the Centro Panamericano de Tenis in Mexico early Sunday morning in Manila.
World no. 75 Eala bucked a sluggish first set performance and fended off no. 134 Udvardy in the second frame, where the latter threatened to come back from 1-4 down as she leveled the set at 5-5.
Eala proved steadier in the decider as she got back at Udvardy, who defeated her in their Oeiras Open round of 16 match in Portugal last April, 7-6(4), 6-4.
