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.

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.