Alex Eala given positive update about the Canadian Open conditions
After winning her first-ever WTA title at the Washington Open, Alex Eala will now head to the Canadian Open with very little time to relax.
The Washington Open final was delayed until Monday, 3rd August, due to stormy weather the day prior, so both women will be battling fatigue at the Masters tournament.
Eala was able to defeat Pegula in three sets to claim the Washington Open, but she is set to play yet again on Wednesday, 5th August’s order of play at the Canadian Open.
The Filipina star will play Alycia Parks in the second round of the competition, after receiving a second round bye due to her seeded entry into the event.
While many think Eala and Pegula could be put at a disadvantage due to the Washington Open overrun, Danielle Collins believes that might not be the case.
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“I think it will be favourable for both of them [Eala and Pegula] because I felt when I played, the DC court were incredibly fast,” said Danielle Collins on The Tennis Channel.
“Here [in Toronto], the courts are a little bit slower. I think it’s a lot easier to go from a fast hardcourt to a little bit slower one. That’s just my opinion.”
Eala has been placed in a difficult section of the Canadian Open. Should she find a way past Parks in the second round, her most likely opponent is Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
She is also in the same section as Belinda Bencic, Sloane Stephens, Taylor Townsend, and Marie Bouzkova, so she will have her work cut out to reach the latter stages.
As for Pegula, she will begin her campaign against Magdalena Frech in round two of the Masters event.
As the number three seed, the American is the top seed in her section of the draw. The other seeded players inside her section are Diana Shnaider, Katerina Siniakova, and Anna Kalinskaya.
The American has an excellent recent record at the North American tournament, having claimed the title in two consecutive years. Pegula won the tournament in 2023 and 2024, meaning she won 12 matches in a row at the Canadian Open.
However, Pegula fared less well in 2025, suffering an early exit at the tournament she once dominated. She was knocked out in the third round of the Masters event by Anastasija Sevastova, who entered the tournament on a protected ranking.
Pegula and Eala are in opposite sides of the draw at this year’s event, so they will not play each other until the final at the earliest.
