MUBADALA DC OPEN

July 29, 2026

Alexandra Eala

Press Conference

A. EALA/L. Fernandez

6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Alex, tell us about the match today. How would you evaluate how you did?

ALEXANDRA EALA: I'm really happy with the match today. I think there were a lot of difficult positions, especially in that second set, so happy with how I fought.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What changed in that second set from 1-5 and the break, game, set, fault?

ALEXANDRA EALA: I don't know. I think for a couple of games maybe my intensity dropped a little bit or the intention, and Leylah stepped up. I just tried my best to stick it out and wait for my opportunities and kind of try to continuously find solutions, yeah.

Q. What's the mindset at that point? It's a pretty significant hole. Perhaps you're looking ahead to a third set. What is the mindset, and does it change at all as you start to gain momentum?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Yeah, I think the mindset would probably have to be -- or what it was was kind of I'm ready for anything. You know, I'm ready to make this set longer. That's obviously the first goal is to try to go as far in that set as I possibly could.

But if I wasn't able to do that, I would be ready for a third, and at the end, just take it point by point.

Q. What does this win mean for you?

ALEXANDRA EALA: It means a lot. I think every win at this level is very meaningful for me, because end of the day, I'm playing the top of the top.

That's why I come into every match with all the intention that I could possibly have. I come out of each match, especially if I win, you know, feeling really accomplished, yeah, because I think at this level, everybody is fighting, everybody is good. So all these wins mean a lot for me.

Q. You obviously have a very enthusiastic fan base wherever you go. Has there been a particular moment or story from the past year where you were even surprised by how popular you were and how many fans you had to come support you? If there's a particular moment that you remember?

ALEXANDRA EALA: There are a couple that come to mind. I think one of the first times that I was really kind of, like, taken aback was this year in Australian Open. Then as well as in the whole Middle Eastern swing was very eye-opening for me. Going back home recently after Wimbledon.

I guess I don't know what it is, but it seems to surprise me every time. Sometimes I forget the impact that I hold, and sometimes I don't expect the number of people who come and support, which is a really great thing, too. It's like I'm reliving it every time, yeah.

Q. You talked yesterday about how it's kind of like a mind game. You have to get in their head; they get in your head. It's kind of like this back and forth. I felt like at the middle of the -- the 5-1 second set that you really wanted to get the momentum back if you needed to play a third set. Was that something that you thought about as you kept trying to get in her head, kept trying to make the rallies longer?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Well, I don't think necessarily the games are trying to get in the other person's head. I think the mind games also start with you, and it's kind of how you want to approach each situation.

Like I mentioned earlier, the mindset I tried to have was ready for anything. So I tried each point to stay there, keep the second set longer, especially when I was down.

But I knew that if it were to go to a third set, you know, that I was still capable. Of course, it's never a for sure I'm going to win, but I'm capable, yeah.

Q. What does your shirt say?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Oh, so my shirt says, "Kapag lumago, hindi na hihinto." It's a phrase that Nike and I came up with. I wore it also in the back of my visor in Wimbledon, and it means, "Once it grows, it cannot be stopped." So, yeah, I just think it's a really beautiful message.

Q. Just your thoughts right now on your game and what you are most pleased with it, also that you still maybe want to work on moving forward in the tournament and for the U.S. hard court swing?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Well, I'm really pleased with the quality of my shot, I would say. I think there are certain things that I would like to -- well, like you said, all the time there are certain things I'd like to improve.

The serve is a constant kind of workshop. It's constant improvement. I'd also like to see myself try to step in the court more, maybe go to the net a little bit, and improve kind of my whole physical state, yeah.

Q. I had typed your shirt into Google Translate, so I was already ready to ask a question about it. I'm curious, for you in terms of feeling like you're growing, do you feel like, yeah, every step that you have taken this summer is getting you bigger and stronger, and the momentum you have right now is pretty powerful? If so, what does that feel like?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Yeah, I mean, the momentum where, I guess, having a lot of wins is definitely experience in my bag, and it helps with the confidence. It helps with the self-esteem.

Of course, it makes you feel strong, but I think, you know, strength is defined by your toughest moments and how you handle that, so it's very relative. I think the phrase, like you mentioned, is not so much referring to results or anything, but the way I see it, it refers to dreaming, you know.

So I've always been very ambitious, so I think once you start dream, and it starts getting bigger, and you start to achieve maybe partially what your dreams are, then it's kind of difficult for it not to flourish, yeah.

Q. Kind of building off that, has there been a moment within this past year or so where you feel like you really arrived on the tour and kind of made your mark?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Well, there have definitely been more kind of impactful moments for me, but that's a funny thing. How I think about the tour is, okay, you can be there, and you can be established, but your spot on tour is never saved for you.

You know, that's what makes it so difficult to maintain the rankings. That's why everybody is working so hard is because your spot is never guaranteed.

In regards to the moment, I mean, the whole Wimbledon run for me, especially those two matches on Centre, were so crazy. Every time on Wimbledon Centre Court, it's like I'm living out my dream. I'm living out my dream every day, but that was a little more special, yeah.

Q. You mentioned earlier on in the week that the shadow swings that you do at the back of the court, they used to be kind of not ritual, but a superstition that you used to have. What are they now for you? Because I see sometimes players are actually doing a shadow swing to almost remember follow-through, doing all that stuff. For you, is it just sort of to get back into the rhythm, or it's just something you now do in between points?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Well, I've been doing it for so long that it's really just part of how I -- it's part of my routine, I guess. I definitely do think it gets me in that mindset of, you know, getting -- everyone has a routine in between points, and I guess it's part of some points to get me in that mindset, and it's almost automatic, yeah.

Q. What are your post-match plans today? Will you be resting, anything exciting, or just regrouping for your next match?

ALEXANDRA EALA: Yes, I haven't decided yet. Definitely some good food. I think we all need a good lunch, guys. Some sleep. Maybe a little bath.

I don't know if I'm going to go out with my coach or do something for dinner, but nothing are too special.