The Mubadala DC Open quarterfinals on Friday, August 1, delivered a day of upsets and drama in Washington. On the ATP side, only third seed Taylor Fritz survived a day that saw all other favorites fall. On the WTA side, Naomi Osaka and Alexandra Eala provided the headlines in an action-packed session.
Three out of four seeds eliminated on the ATP side
The men's draw was turned upside down within hours. Top seed and defending champion Alex de Minaur fell to Brandon Nakashima in straight sets (7-6, 6-4). The American fired 10 aces and won 83% of his first-serve points, proving clutch under pressure by saving six of seven break points he faced. It was sweet revenge after de Minaur ousted him on the same stage last year, and Nakashima now leads their head-to-head 3-1, including a victory at Queen's Club less than two months ago.
Second seed Ben Shelton was stunned by Alejandro Tabilo's comeback (4-6, 7-5, 6-4). After dominating the first set, the American saw the Chilean save four break points at 4-4 in the second set before taking control with a spectacular tweener lob winner at 3-3 in the decider. Fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti was also eliminated by 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jódar (1-6, 6-1, 6-4), who dominated the second set by conceding just one service point in the entire frame.
Only Fritz held firm, surviving a grueling three-set battle against Alex Michelsen (6-1, 3-6, 7-6). The third seed saved a match point in the deciding tiebreak before prevailing 8-6, demonstrating the mental resilience that has defined his 2026 season.
Osaka back in the semifinals, Eala lights up Washington
On the WTA side, Osaka produced a trademark comeback to reach the semifinals after a 2-hour, 14-minute battle against Elisabetta Cocciaretto (4-6, 6-4, 6-3). The four-time Grand Slam champion, seeking her first WTA title since the 2021 Australian Open, showed visible frustration in the second set before finding her best tennis to dominate the third. It marks her second semifinal of the 2026 season.
Eala delivered the most impressive performance of the women's draw, dispatching 10th-ranked Elina Svitolina, the second seed, in just 1 hour and 33 minutes (6-3, 6-4). The 21-year-old Filipino, ranked 28th, secured her sixth top-10 victory of the season, adding to wins over Jasmine Paolini, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon. She will face Osaka in a first-ever meeting in the semifinals.
Jessica Pegula completed the women's semifinal lineup by defeating Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets (6-3, 7-5), continuing her pursuit of another title in Washington.
Saturday's semifinal schedule
Saturday promises compelling matchups across both draws. On the ATP side, Fritz faces Nakashima in an all-American clash, while Tabilo takes on Jódar for a spot in the final. The WTA highlight will be the Osaka versus Eala showdown, with Pegula also in action on the other side of the bracket.
