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Pegula to Play Alexandra Eala in Washington Open Final

The final could secure Pegula a third title in 2026 or lift Eala into the WTA Top 20.

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Aug 1, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Jessica Pegula (USA) shakes hands with Diana Shnaider (not pictured) at the net after their women's singles semifinal on day six of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Aug 1, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Naomi Osaka (JPN) waves to the crowd while leaving the court after her match against Alexandra Eala (PHI) (not pictured) in a women's singles semifinal on day six of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Aug 1, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) (L) shakes hands with Naomi Osaka (JPN) (R) at the net after their women's singles semifinal on day six of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Overview

  • Top seed Jessica Pegula beat Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4 to reach the Washington Open final on Saturday.
  • Alexandra Eala defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach her first WTA final and guarantee a Top‑25 ranking next week.
  • A Pegula victory would be her third title of 2026 and the 12th of her career while an Eala win would push the 21‑year‑old into the Top‑20.
  • Pre‑match markets and coverage made Pegula the heavy favorite, but Eala’s run has included six wins this season over top‑10 opponents and strong crowd support from the Philippines.
  • The WTA 500 event is reshaping live rankings and serving as a momentum test ahead of the North American hard‑court swing and the US Open.