Aryna Sabalenka has voiced support for the WTA’s new eligibility rule requiring sex testing, while also saying she has returned to a simpler approach after her Wimbledon loss.

The world No 1 has had a varied 2026 campaign. She reached the Australian Open final and won titles in Indian Wells and Miami, but her clay season ended with a quarter-final defeat at the French Open. At Wimbledon, she was beaten 6-2, 7-6(2) by Naomi Osaka in the fourth round, despite having won their previous three meetings earlier in the season.

Sabalenka now turns to the North American hard-court swing, starting at the Canadian Open, which runs from August 2 to 13. The surface suits her record: all four of her Grand Slam titles have come on hard courts, with Australian Open victories in 2023 and 2024 and US Open triumphs in 2024 and 2025.

Asked in her pre-tournament press conference whether she felt confident about the upcoming stretch, she said, “Yes, I have a lot of hope (laughs),” Sabalenka responded when asked during her pre-tournament press conference whether she felt confident heading into the North American hard-court season.

She also explained the adjustments she has made after experimenting on other surfaces. “I wouldn’t say the clay and grass were that bad. I was trying a couple of things, but they didn’t come out as I expected, and now we’re back to basics. I really hope it works well again on the hard court.”

On the return to hard courts, she added, “It’s a routine [returning to hard courts],” she analysed.

“It’s a lot of rallies, a lot of basic work, like cross-court shots. I don’t know, it’s like going back to a very small variety of the game. I don’t get too into these angles, drop shots, like the serve and volley, I just get back into the game from the back of the court, I make sure I have a lot of confidence there. And on top of that, I add some variety.”

Sabalenka was also asked about the WTA’s newly introduced genetic sex-testing policy, which will begin on Tuesday. Under the rule, players may take a one-time test for the SRY gene using a cheek swab or blood test.

“It’s very important to maintain fairness in our circuit,” she began.

“It’s obvious that, biologically, men are much stronger than women, so it wouldn’t seem fair to me for a woman to compete against a biological man.

“I think it took them a while to make this decision and, yes, I support it. But I’m concentrating on myself, on my goals, on whatever it takes. If you want to test us all, I will gladly do so, it’s pretty fair, and let’s keep it that way.”

She will also feature in the mixed doubles event alongside 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic as she builds toward another title defense in New York.

Alex Eala has made no secret of the fact that her serve “can be uncomfortable”, yet she continues to treat it as a part of her game that is still developing rather than a flaw that defines her. She also waved away the idea that it is “holding her back”.

That perspective has come as Eala has put together the most significant run of her career, moving into her first WTA 500 final at the Washington DC Open. Along the way, she has beaten Zheng Qinwen, Leylah Fernandez, Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka, a stretch that underlines how far her level has climbed.

The Filipino has lost just one set in the tournament, and that came in her opening match against former world No 4 Zheng. After dropping the first set, she responded by winning the next 10. Against Osaka in the semi-final, she was broken only once, but otherwise controlled the match by breaking twice in each set and holding a clear edge on serve.

Her numbers against Osaka reflected that. Eala posted a first-serve percentage of 59.6% compared with Osaka’s 54.2%, won 71.4% of first-serve points to Osaka’s 59.4%, and was especially strong behind her second serve, winning 78.9% of those points against 48.1%. Over the two sets, she dropped only four points on second serve.

That performance came in the wake of comments from former world No 1 Rennae Stubbs, who had questioned whether Eala’s serve could limit her ceiling. Eala’s response after her one-hour and 16-minute victory over Osaka was calm and candid.

“I think that my serve can be uncomfortable. I think I try to play around a lot with variety,” Eala said in her post-match press conference.

“Of course, it would be great if I had a serve that went 200 kilometres per hour. I’d love that also, but it’s a process. Who knows? I’m not going to put a cap on my serve. Maybe I will one day serve 200. You never know (smiling).

“I like to look at it as a multi-dimensional thing. I have a variety of weapons in my bag. I think it’s also a good thing that I don’t rely on my serve alone, although I’m standing by that it’s dependable sometimes.”

Alex Eala continued her remarkable run at the Washington DC Open with another statement victory, defeating former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka to advance to her first WTA 500 final.

The unseeded Eala opened her North American hard-court campaign with a three-set comeback over reigning Olympic champion and former world No. 4 Zheng Qinwen after dropping the opening set. She then kept building momentum, dispatching seventh seed and defending champion Leylah Fernandez in straight sets before repeating that feat against second seed and former world No. 3 Elina Svitolina.

That set the stage for a meeting with Osaka, and Eala again delivered without surrendering a set. She produced a 6-4, 6-2 win over the four-time Grand Slam finalist, tightening her grip on the match at key moments. After early breaks were exchanged in the opening set, Eala earned the decisive break in game nine. She carried that control into the second set, breaking in the opening game and again in game eight before sealing victory on her third match point on serve.

“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.”

She added of Osaka: “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.”

“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.”

The result lifted Eala four places to a new career-high ranking of No. 24, four spots above her previous best. It also continued an extraordinary rise for the Filipina, who began the 2025 season at No. 168.

She could move into the top 20 if she wins the final, but another difficult challenge awaits. Top seed and reigning world No. 3 Jessica Pegula, who beat Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4, stands between Eala and the title. Pegula also won their only previous meeting, coming through in three sets in the semi-finals of the 2025 Miami Open.