Just In: Tennis Fans Left Stunned as Danielle Collins Delivers a Blunt Reality Check to Alex Eala About the ‘Lot of Distractions’ Awaiting Her at the Canadian Open
Danielle Collins has urged Alex Eala to stay focused on her tennis as the Filipino WTA sensation prepares for her 2026 Canadian Open campaign in Toronto. Collins’ message to Eala came in the aftermath of the latter’s maiden WTA Tour-level title triumph at this year’s Mubadala DC Open in Washington, where she came back from a set down to register an emphatic victory over Jessica Pegula in the final.
Collins, who covered the rain-delayed Washington final as an analyst for Tennis Channel, opined that Eala will have to deal with ‘a lot of distractions’ after becoming the first Filipino to win a WTA title.
“If she can refocus, focus on the tennis here (at the Canadian Open)… it’s a lot of distractions after you’ve won a big tournament. People reaching out, your phone blowing up, the social media, all of it, right? So if she can just stay focused, focus on her tennis, what’s she’s been doing well,” Collins said on Tennis Channel.
The former World No. 7 also lauded Eala’s dominant third-set display against current No. 3 Pegula in the Washington final and looked forward to the Filipino’s opening match at the Canadian Open: a second-round clash against Alycia Parks.
“I mean look, she took that last set 6-0 against Pegula, the No. 3 player in the world, to pick up her first title. That is impressive stuff. So I think at this point she can beat anybody in the tournament and it should be a good matchup between the two,” the American added.
