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.

Rennae Stubbs has drawn a sharp line between two of the WTA Tour’s rising names, suggesting Victoria Mboko has the tools to become a Grand Slam champion, while arguing that Alex Eala will need major changes to reach that level.

Mboko and Eala have both moved into the spotlight over the past year, each delivering breakout results that have lifted their profiles and rankings. Mboko captured her first WTA 1000 crown in Montreal last season, while Eala has been the steadier performer in 2026, highlighted by six wins against Top 10 opponents.

Three weeks ago, Eala made history by becoming the first player from the Philippines to reach the second week of a Grand Slam, doing so after advancing to the last 16 at Wimbledon.

Mboko’s season has been interrupted by injury. She recently teamed up with Serena Williams in the women’s doubles at Queen’s Club, which marked Williams’ return to professional tennis. But Mboko then suffered a medial collateral ligament injury in her left knee during singles play. That problem forced her out of the tournament and later led to withdrawals from Wimbledon, the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open. She has also decided to skip the US Open.

The Canadian is also due to lose the 1,000 ranking points she earned for winning the Canadian Open in 2025, when she beat four Grand Slam champions during her remarkable title run.

Stubbs, who coached Williams during her final US Open in 2022 and has also worked with her during her comeback, offered her assessment on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.

“Eala’s serve will never win her a Grand Slam,” Stubbs said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.

“I know people could say the same about Angie Kerber, but I feel that’s what’s holding Eala back.

“I think it’s also what’s holding Jessica Pegula back. Pegula’s second serve is very vulnerable against players who hit the ball hard. I still hope she can win a Grand Slam, but right now I simply don’t see it happening.

“Once Victoria Mboko recovers from her injury, I believe she has the skill, the audacity and the confidence needed to win one. She doesn’t get nervous – she just goes for it. There are still many parts of her game she can improve, especially her serve, and technically her forehand can get even better.

“But it’s her confidence that makes me believe in her.

“Hopefully, once she recovers from this knee injury, she can win a Grand Slam over the next few years.”

Eala and Mboko have met twice, including once on the ITF junior circuit. Eala won their first meeting at the 2022 US Open girls’ event, a 6-1, 7-6(5) result that sent her into the quarter-finals. Mboko levelled the rivalry last season at the Hong Kong Open, coming from a set down to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in their first WTA Tour meeting.

Alex Eala has kept her momentum rolling in Washington, where she moved into the semi-finals of the Washington Open and secured a place inside the world’s Top 25 for the first time. The Filipina said the achievement felt “so surreal” after another impressive display in a season that has already been packed with milestones.

Eala booked her spot in the last four with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 event. It was her sixth victory over a Top 10 player this season, and one that again highlighted the level she has maintained throughout 2026. She also beat the same opponent by the same score in Berlin six weeks ago.

The 21-year-old has been one of the standout stories of the year. She recently became the first player from the Philippines to reach the second week of a Grand Slam, going on to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.

After her latest win, Eala reflected on the effort behind her progress. “It was tough, but good, I’m really, really happy. I had fun out there. I think it was a great battle, so I’m really happy,” she said.

She also outlined the approach that has shaped her rise. “Training, preparation, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, a good mentality, a will to win, a will to endure, and trying to find solutions. That’s what I strive for. I can’t say that I’m perfect at it – definitely far from perfect – but that’s what I strive to be.

“I would say [my game is] brave. I’d say brave, flexible. I try to be a more versatile player. That’s one of the things I’ve been working on: having different solutions and trying to be patient.

“I try not to be a one-dimensional player. That’s something I’m working on.”

Eala also drew a strong reaction from the Washington crowd, who greeted her with prolonged applause before her interview. “Amazing, I feel so loved,” she said. She added, “The atmosphere out there was electric. It was super fun, super intense. It definitely added to that intense feeling, so it was really fun.”

Looking ahead, Eala will face Naomi Osaka in Friday’s semi-final. It will be their first meeting, and Eala said, “It means a lot, it’s the semi-finals of a WTA 500.”