Washington (United States) (AFP) – Alexandra Eala stunned former world number one Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the women’s final of the WTA and ATP Washington Open, where she will face third-ranked Jessica Pegula. The 21-year-old Philippines left-hander delivered an impressive victory over the four-time Grand Slam winner from Japan to reach her second WTA final, having lost her first last year at Eastbourne.
“I’m super proud of my performance,” Eala said. “I played really well and I had a great mentality and I stayed locked in until the end.” Eala, set to jump to a career-best 24th in the world rankings, had previously ousted second seed Elina Svitolina for her sixth top-10 victory of the year after dethroning 2025 Washington champion Leylah Fernandez. It was the first meeting of the Asian stars, Eala facing one of the idols of her youth.
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“She definitely has an aura and she definitely has power,” Eala said of Osaka. “I remember watching her finals in the Australian Open and US Open, so really a great experience to share the court with her. I’m really happy I was able to produce that level against her.” Osaka, ranked 13th, was thwarted in her bid for an eighth WTA title and first since taking the 2021 Australian Open.
“I hit a lot of unforced errors, so that was probably one of the main reasons (for losing),” Osaka said. Pegula, seeking her 12th WTA title and third of the year, eliminated Russia’s Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4 in the other semi-final. “It’s going to be a battle,” Pegula said of the final. “Alex, I’m a big fan of hers. She’s the future of the tour and she’s already here.”
Pegula, who won her first WTA title in 2019 at Washington, fell behind 5-2 against Schnaider, but the 32-year-old American top seed battled back to reach her fourth final of the year. A semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, Pegula has lifted trophies at Dubai and Charleston this season.
– ‘More well rounded’ –
Pegula beat Eala in a 2025 Miami semi-final in their only career meeting. “I’m more well rounded. I’m physically a little bit better. I’ve improved on a couple of my strokes. Serve has also improved quite a bit,” Eala said of her game then and now.
The men’s final will pit American Taylor Fritz, ranked 10th, against 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar. Fritz fired 13 aces in ousting 33rd-ranked countryman Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. “I dug very deep just to keep holding,” said Fritz, who seeks an 11th career ATP title and first since last year at Eastbourne.
Jodar, assured of cracking the top 20 in the rankings next week, beat Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-4. Jodar kept his composure despite dropping the tight first set and seized the momentum with a break for a 4-3 lead in the second. He broke Tabilo to open the third set and marched to the win, giving himself a shot at a second ATP title after capturing his first in Morocco in April.
© 2024 AFP
