Colombian tennis star Camila Osorio capped a breakthrough week with a gritty, come-from-behind victory over Croatia’s Donna Vekic, prevailing 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a marathon singles final of the inaugural WTA 125 Philippine Women’s Open on Saturday, January 31, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
After more than two and a half hours of high-intensity tennis on center court, Osorio dug deep to secure the biggest hardcourt title of her career, fending off constant pressure in a tense deciding set that saw both players hold serve until the closing stages.
Vekic struck first, taking control early to pocket the opening set, but Osorio steadily flipped the momentum with cleaner returns and relentless court coverage in the second. The final set became a test of nerve and resolve, with neither player blinking as games stretched and service holds were repeatedly challenged.
At 5-5 in the decider, Osorio finally broke through, then calmly served out the championship to seal a victory she described as deeply personal.
“This title is really important to me because it’s the first time I’ve won a tournament on hardcourt and outside of my home,” Osorio said after the match.
“I had a tough start to the year, so winning these matches means a lot. And being my first time here in the Philippines—it feels unreal, like a fairy tale.”
The Colombian credited her mindset for carrying her through the pressure-filled third set, particularly with her serve under constant attack.
“I kept telling myself, ‘You like this, you enjoy this,’” Osorio said. “In the last game I was smiling, reminding myself this is what I’ve worked for. If you don’t enjoy it, what’s the point? Staying positive—that was the key. I really enjoyed this final.”
Despite the narrow loss, Vekic took positives from an impressive run to the final, where she played five matches throughout the week against a competitive field.
“I really enjoyed my week here,” Vekic said. “Even though I lost today, I’m going to take a lot of positives from this tournament.”
Reflecting on the razor-thin margins in the deciding set, the Croatian admitted the match was still raw emotionally.
“It was very close. Just a few points made the difference,” Vekic said. “She played really well. Right now I’m too emotional to analyze it properly, but we move forward.”
Vekic also praised the Manila crowd, which played a major role in the atmosphere throughout the tournament.
“The crowd support has been the best thing this week,” she added. “It made playing here so much fun and really pushed us to our limits today. I hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.”
With her victory, Osorio not only etched her name into the history books as the first singles champion of the first Philippine Women’s Open, but also marked a defining milestone in her career, one built on resilience, joy, and the ability to thrive under pressure.
