Alex Eala has beaten another “big player” at the Washington DC Open as she brushed former world No 1 Naomi Osaka aside to reach her maiden WTA 500 final.

The unseeded Eala started her North American hard-court campaign with a come-from-behind win over reigning Olympic champion and former world No 4 Zheng Qinwen as she lost the opening set before winning in three.

She followed it up with a straight set wins over seventh seed and defending champion Leylah Fernandez and second seed and former world No 3 Elina Svitolina to set up a match against Osaka.

And for the third match in a row as she won without dropping a set as she secured a 6-4, 6-2 win over the four-time Grand Slam finalist.

After trading breaks early in the opening set, Eala claimed the crucial break in game nine and then took the momentum into the second set, breaking in the opening match and again in game eight before wrapping it up on her third match point on serve.

Alex Eala News

“Going into this tournament, I looked at the list, and it was jam-packed,” the 21-year-old said. “It was big player after big player after big player. So to be in the final really means a lot to me.”

And now she can add Osaka to the list of “big players” she has beaten on her run in DC.

“She definitely has an aura and she definitely has power,” she 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.”

She added: “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.”

WTA Rankings Boost

Her latest win has earned her a four-place jump in the rankings to a new career-high of No 24 – four spots above her previous best.

It’s an incredible achievement for the Filipina as she started the 2025 season at No 168 in the rankings.

And she could break into the top 20 if she wins the final, but she is expecting another tough encounter as she faces another “big player” in top seed and reigning world No 3 Jessica Pegula, who beat Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4.

The American won their only previous encounter as she beat Eala in three sets when they met in the semi-final of the 2025 Miami Open.