Alexandra Eala stunned former world number one Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the women’s final of the WTA and ATP Washington Open, where she will face third-ranked Jessica Pegula. The 21-year-old Philippines left-hander delivered an impressive victory over the four-time Grand Slam winner from Japan to reach her second WTA final, having lost her first last year at Eastbourne. “I’m super proud of my performance,” Eala said. 

“I played really well and I had a great mentality and I stayed locked in until the end.”

Eala, set to jump to a career-best 24th in the world rankings, had previously ousted second seed Elina Svitolina for her sixth top-10 victory of the year after dethroning 2025 Washington champion Leylah Fernandez.

It was the first meeting of the Asian stars, Eala facing one of the idols of her youth.

“She definitely has an aura and she definitely has power,” Eala 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.”

Osaka, ranked 13th, was thwarted in her bid for an eighth WTA title and first since taking the 2021 Australian Open.

“I hit a lot of unforced errors, so that was probably one of the main reasons (for losing),” Osaka said.

Pegula, seeking her 12th WTA title and third of the year, eliminated Russia’s Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4 in the other semi-final.

“It’s going to be a battle,” Pegula said of the final. “Alex, I’m a big fan of hers. She’s the future of the tour and she’s already here.”

Pegula, who won her first WTA title in 2019 at Washington, fell behind 5-2 against Schnaider, but the 32-year-old American top seed battled back to reach her fourth final of the year.

A semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, Pegula has lifted trophies at Dubai and Charleston this season.

– ‘More well rounded’ –

Pegula beat Eala in a 2025 Miami semi-final in their only career meeting.

“I’m more well rounded. I’m physically a little bit better. I’ve improved on a couple of my strokes. Serve has also improved quite a bit,” Eala said of her game then and now.

The men’s final will pit American Taylor Fritz, ranked 10th, against 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar.

Fritz fired 13 aces in ousting 33rd-ranked countryman Brandon Nakashima 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

“I dug very deep just to keep holding,” said Fritz, who seeks an 11th career ATP title and first since last year at Eastbourne.

Jodar, assured of cracking the top 20 in the rankings next week, beat Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-4.

Jodar kept his composure despite dropping the tight first set and seized the momentum with a break for a 4-3 lead in the second.

He broke Tabilo to open the third set and marched to the win, giving himself a shot at a second ATP title after capturing his first in Morocco in April.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Featured Video Of The Day

Yamal Laughs At Paredes vs Gavi ‘Fight Of The Year’ Poster During Parade

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has been praised by defender Josko Gvardiol for his early sessions with the team.

Enzo Maresca has been called a ‘perfect’ choice to replace Pep Guardiola as Manchester City players enjoy working with the new manager. Maresca took on the daunting challenge of succeeding one of the greatest coaches in the game when he left the Etihad in May after a decade at the club.

All eyes are on Maresca and City to see how they will cope without Guardiola, and their rivals are relishing the prospect of no longer having to compete with the Catalan. Maresca has built his reputation as a head coach over the last three years though and relished the opportunity to take charge at the Etihad after leaving Chelsea last season.

It is still early days for the squad with many still resting after the World Cup, but those players who have started to work with the new coach have been impressed by his training sessions. City defender Josko Gvardiol described Maresca as perfect for the way that he and the team want to play going forward.

“The level is that high and Enzo has been chosen with reason as the manager,” he said. “I think he has a quality, has some new ideas and also we need to see what we’re going to do [with] the style of [play], the football we are going to play and the tactics and everything. I think he is a perfect one, but of course it takes time.

“It’s something totally new, it’s not easy to change the manager, so we will take time. It’s our job to help him as much as possible and also to listen to try to adapt as quick as possible.”

Gvardiol was speaking in a wide-ranging interview covering the disappointment of last season and why he will have to play through the pain barrier this season. You can read the full article here.

He is one of #France’s most memorable #football players: nearly thirty years later after helping ‘Les Bleus’ win their first #WorldCup – and twenty years after his infamous #redcard, Zinedine #Zidane is coming back to coach the squad.

Jaron Ennis believes there are now bigger fish to fry than the man who many would argue is his most dangerous rival at 154lbs.

The 29-year-old became a two-division unified champion in June, dethroning Xander Zayas with a seventh-round finish to claim the WBO and WBA world titles.

As a result, ‘Boots’ has now set his sights on becoming the undisputed super-welterweight king, rather than focusing on a long-awaited showdown with Vergil Ortiz.

But while collecting all four major belts would, indeed, be a phenomenal achievement, it must be said that Ortiz represents his most commercially viable option.

Even after having not fought since his second-round stoppage of Erickson Lubin in November, the 28-year-old is still repeatedly mentioned in the same breath as Ennis.

More importantly, though, Ortiz is now free to revisit the negotiating table after reaching a promotional settlement with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy.

Yet despite the enormous appetite for an Ortiz clash, Ennis would much rather face Sebastian Fundora, who is set to defend his WBC title against mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj later this year.

Speaking with YSM Sports Media, the American even claimed that fans would rather see him collide with the 6ft 6in ‘Towering Inferno’ than Ortiz.

“It’s still on the table but, right now, we’re collecting belts. I feel like the two guys with the belts [would make for] bigger fights right now. I feel like Fundora is a bigger fight [than Ortiz].

“Everybody wants to see that fight. Vergil Ortiz is a good fight but no one really wants to see it, because I’m going to knock him out.

“I’d rather fight the tall guy [Fundora] that y’all think is this monster, get him out of there, and then I’ll run through the whole division.”

While preferring Fundora, Ennis could instead enter a three-belt unification match against Josh Kelly, who retained his IBF title with a hard-fought victory over Caoimhin Agyarko last Saturday.

A scary training camp collision briefly threatened Cyrus Allen’s strong start with the Kansas City Chiefs, but the rookie wide receiver appeared to avoid a serious injury.

Initial tests showed Allen sustained only a shin bruise, with no tear or broken bone, ESPN reported, citing sources.

Allen was not the only Chiefs receiver to have an injury scare Saturday. Xavier Worthy went down during an 11-on-11 period after hauling in a deep pass near the end zone and landing on his shoulder.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy receives a pass during practice at Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Aug. 1, 2026. (Roman Puno/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA)

Worthy has already dealt with shoulder-related concerns early in his NFL career. He injured his right shoulder on the third snap of last season after colliding with tight end Travis Kelce on a crossing route during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Worthy later underwent an offseason procedure to address the injury.

Allen went down Saturday during a special teams period as the Chiefs practiced pooch punts. He and defensive back Kaiir Elam, both lined up as gunners, ran into each other near the goal line while attempting to track down the ball. Elam got up and walked off, but Allen stayed on the grass before two staffers helped him onto a cart.

FANS STUNNED AT TRAVIS KELCE’S TRAINING CAMP PHYSIQUE AFTER NUPTIALS TO TAYLOR SWIFT

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen runs drills during the team’s mandatory minicamp at the Chiefs practice facility in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 9, 2026. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)

Allen appeared to shake his head before covering his face with his jersey.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said Allen had been making a strong push for a role before the injury.

“I hate to see somebody get hurt, especially on a special teams drill,” Toub said. “We’ll see how he is. He’s really doing well on offense, and he’s doing well for me too. He’s at gunner and returner, and he’s doing a real good job, putting himself in a good position to be a guy that’s going to help us this year.”

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen was helped up after an apparent injury during practice at Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Aug. 1, 2026. (Roman Puno/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect)

Toub added that Chiefs rookies are always asked to put in work during special team drills.

“Anytime you have a rookie, everybody is on special teams until they aren’t, until they establish themselves, whether it’s a starter on offense or defense,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Chiefs took Allen in the fifth round of April’s draft, and he quickly emerged as one of Patrick Mahomes’ go-to targets early in camp. Allen has led Kansas City’s wide receivers in catches during 11-on-11 periods.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports  coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports  Huddle newsletter.

The 2026 trade deadline is set for Monday, Aug. 3, and the deals look like they could go right down to the last minute

Advertisement

Aug 1, 2026

at

11:47 pm ET

•

1 min read