Eala Stuns Osaka to Book Washington Final Against Pegula

Alexandra Eala stunned former world number one Naomi Osaka with a decisive 6-4, 6-2 victory to secure her spot in the WTA Washington Open women's final. The 21-year-old from the Philippines delivered an impressive performance against the four-time Grand Slam champion, marking her second WTA final appearance.

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I'm super proud of my performance. I played really well and I had a great mentality and I stayed locked in until the end.

Eala, who is set to reach a career-high ranking of 24th, had previously defeated second seed Elina Svitolina and 2025 Washington champion Leylah Fernandez. This marked her sixth top-10 victory of the year. Reflecting on her win, Eala stated, "I'm super proud of my performance. I played really well and I had a great mentality and I stayed locked in until the end."

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She definitely has an aura and she definitely has power. I remember watching her finals in the Australian Open and US Open, so really a great experience to share the court with her.

She will now face third-ranked Jessica Pegula in the final. Pegula, seeking her 12th WTA title, overcame Russia's Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4 in the other semi-final. Pegula acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, "It's going to be a battle. Alex, I'm a big fan of hers. She's the future of the tour and she's already here."

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I hit a lot of unforced errors, so that was probably one of the main reasons (for losing).

In the men's draw, American Taylor Fritz, ranked 10th, defeated his compatriot Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the final. He will compete against 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar, who beat Chile's Alejandro Tabilo 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-4. Fritz expressed his determination, stating, "I dug very deep just to keep holding."

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It's going to be a battle. Alex, I'm a big fan of hers. She's the future of the tour and she's already here.