Alex Eala’s bid for her first WTA title remains on hold after bad weather forced the suspension of the Mubadala DC Open final against top seed Jessica Pegula in Washington.
Thunderstorms delayed the start of the championship match by three hours, and after play finally got underway, Pegula claimed the opening set 6-4. Eala had edged ahead 2-1 in the second set when heavy rain returned, bringing play to another halt. With the courts remaining unplayable for more than five hours, tournament officials postponed the rest of the match until Tuesday (12 a.m. Manila time).
Pegula, the world No. 3 and the tournament’s top seed, is chasing her 12th WTA singles title and third of the season after victories in Dubai and Charleston. She also defeated Eala in their only previous meeting, the 2025 Miami Open semifinals.
The 21-year-old Filipino, competing in just her second WTA final, is seeking her maiden tour title after finishing runner-up in Eastbourne last year. Regardless of the outcome, Eala is set to rise to a career-high world ranking of No. 24 following an impressive run that included wins over former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, second seed Elina Svitolina, and defending champion Leylah Fernandez.
The first set featured several momentum swings. Pegula earned the first break in the fifth game, but Eala responded immediately to level at 3-3. Pegula then saved two break points to hold for 4-4 before breaking again in the ninth game and serving out the set in 40 minutes.
Before rain stopped play after 53 minutes, Pegula had struck 14 winners compared with Eala’s four, while both players committed 20 unforced errors.
The weather also disrupted the men’s final, postponing the match between American Taylor Fritz and Spain’s Rafael Jodar. Their championship clash is scheduled to begin after the completion of the women’s final.
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