WASHINGTON — Filipino rising star Alexandra Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open after defeating defending champion Leylah Fernandez, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1), Tuesday.
Eala, ranked No. 28 in the world, rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the second set before dominating the tiebreak to eliminate the seventh-seeded Canadian.
The 21-year-old Eala continued her breakthrough season with the victory. She became the first Philippine player to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam when she defeated Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon last month.
“Everything’s kind of a blur right now. I really made an effort to stay in the moment, and I was ready for anything that could have happened,” Eala said.
Eala will face the winner of another quarterfinal matchup as she continues her run in Washington.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, also reached the quarterfinals after American Ashlyn Krueger retired while trailing 6-3, 3-1.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals last month, advanced after Krueger received treatment on her right ankle while trailing 4-1 in the opening set.
“It’s a tough situation, and I hope that she gets better ASAP,” Osaka said.
Osaka will next face Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who upset eighth-seeded American Emma Navarro, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Eala’s victory sets up another major test in what has become a breakout season for the young Filipino.
