ALEXANDRA Eala delivered another career-defining performance after stunning four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, 6-4, 6-2, to book her place in the final of the Mubadala DC Open on Saturday (Sunday, Philippine time) in Washington, D.C.
The victory sent the Filipina star into her first-ever WTA 500 championship match and marked her second final appearance above WTA 125 level after finishing runner-up at the Eastbourne Open last year.
Eala weathered an early challenge as Osaka claimed the opening game before the 21-year-old Filipina quickly settled into the match. After trading breaks in the opening set, Eala seized control by winning the last three games to take a one-set advantage.
She carried that momentum into the second set, breaking Osaka’s serve early to move ahead 2-0. Although the former world No. 1 managed to get on the scoreboard, Eala continued to dictate the match with her aggressive baseline game and capitalized on a series of unforced errors from the Japanese star.
Holding a 5-2 lead, Eala calmly served out the match to complete another stunning upset and continue her remarkable run in Washington.
The victory added another marquee name to Eala’s growing list of scalps during the tournament. Before defeating Osaka, she also eliminated Olympic champion and former world No. 4 Zheng Qinwen, Canadian-Filipina Leylah Fernandez, and second seed Elina Svitolina.
Eala will now face top-seeded American Jessica Pegula in the final, setting up a rematch of their Miami Open semifinal last season, where Pegula ended the Filipina’s breakthrough campaign.
A victory over Pegula would hand Eala the biggest title of her young professional career and her first WTA 500 crown. (Adrian Co)
The post Alex Eala reaches DC Open final after stunning Naomi Osaka first appeared on Fastbreak.
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