WTA Washington Open draw: Alex Eala handed nightmare first round match and Venus Williams given difficult first test

Several of the best players on the WTA Tour are flocking to the Washington Open to begin their North American hardcourt swing.

The iconic tournament has been won by the likes of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in recent years and many of the top American stars often attend.

This year sees two of the current top 10, Pegula and Elina Svitolina, as well as in-form Naomi Osaka, Roland Garros semi finalist Diana Shnaider, and last year’s champion Leylah Fernandez.

The draw for the tournament has offered up some very exciting first round matches as the likes of Venus Williams, Alex Eala, and Katie Boulter have all learned their fate.

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Eala, who is unseeded for the event, has been given a very difficult tie against Qinwen Zheng. The Chinese star has been riddled with injuries in recent years, but she is a former World No 4 and a Grand Slam finalist.

Zheng has been given a wildcard for the event and she will start her match against Eala nearly 100 places below her in the WTA Tour rankings. Nevertheless, she will be a tough test for the rising Filipina star.

Elsewhere, Venus Williams, who has also been given a wildcard, is set to play Anastasia Potapova in round one. This will be a first time match up, but Potapova reached the final in Linz earlier this year, as well as the Madrid Open semi finals, so another tough test awaits for Williams.

Katie Boulter, who recently married fellow pro Alex de Minaur, will play wildcard Ashlyn Krueger, while Emma Navarro will play wildcard Sofia Kenin.

Fernandez, who is looking to defend her title at the Washington Open, has been drawn against Magda Linette, with the winner playing either Zheng or Eala.

The WTA Washington Open draw in full

- Magdalena Frech vs Ann Li

- Janice Tjen vs qualifier

- Anna Kalinskaya vs qualifier

- Anastasia Potapova vs Venus Williams

- Xinyu Wang vs qualifier

- Madison Keys vs Liudmila Samsonova

- Emma Navarro vs Sofia Kenin

- Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Clara Tauson

- Ashlyn Krueger vs Katie Boulter

- Leylah Fernandez vs Magda Linette

- Alexandra Eala vs Qinwen Zheng

- Cristina Bucsa vs qualifier

The top four seeds – Pegula, Svitolina, Shnaider, and Osaka – have all been given a first round bye into the next round.

Pegula will await the winner of Frech vs Li; Shnaider will play either Williams or Potapova; Osaka is set for a match with either Boulter or Krueger, and Svitolina will play a qualifier or Bucsa.