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 career WTA final, having dropped the 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.” Giant killer 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.
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It was the first meeting of the Asian stars, with Eala facing one of the idols of her youth. “She definitely has aura and she definitely has power,” Eala said. “I remember watching her finals in the Australian Open and US Open so really a great experience to share the court with her and I’m really happy I was able to produce that level against her.”
Osaka, ranked 13th, was thwarted in her bid for an eighth career WTA title and first since taking the 2021 Australian Open. Pegula, seeking her 12th career 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 her. 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.
“I found a little rhythm on the return, served a little bit smarter and I was able to play some good tennis, kind of take control of the momentum,” Pegula said.
– ‘Going to be great’ –
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.
After an early exchange of breaks in the first set, Osaka saved three break points in the ninth game but followed with two errant forehands to surrender a break. Eala, who won 79% of her second-serve points, then held at love on a service winner to capture the set in 38 minutes. Osaka double-faulted away a break to begin the second set and netted a backhand to surrender another break, handing Eala a 5-2 edge. Eala then held serve to end matters after 76 minutes.
Pegula, a semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, has lifted trophies at Dubai and Charleston this season. In the men’s semi-finals, world number 10 Taylor Fritz will face 33rd-ranked Brandon Nakashima in an all-American matchup while Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo meets 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar.
© 2024 AFP
