Why Is Eala vs. Pegula Washington Final Delayed? When Is New Start Time?

Alex Eala’s bid for her first WTA title will have to wait a little longer.

Rain in Washington forced organizers to delay Sunday’s Mubadala DC Open women’s singles final between Eala and world No. 3 Jessica Pegula at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.

The championship match was scheduled to begin at noon Eastern time on Stadium Court. The WTA initially pushed the start to no earlier than 1:30 p.m. before the tournament announced another delay because of inclement weather.

Play will not begin before 2 p.m. Eastern, according to the Mubadala DC Open’s official update⁠. That corresponds to 2 a.m. Monday in the Philippines.

The revised time remains subject to change depending on the rain and how quickly Stadium Court can be prepared. Fans were advised to monitor the tournament’s social media channels for further updates.

Alex Eala’s Historic Run to Washington Final

The delay prolonged the anticipation surrounding one of the most significant matches in Philippine tennis history.

Eala, ranked a career-high No. 28, earned her place in the final by beating four formidable opponents. She rallied past Zheng Qinwen 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 before eliminating defending champion Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6 (1).

The 21-year-old Filipina followed those victories by defeating world No. 10 Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-4 and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2. She has not lost a set since her opening-round comeback against Zheng.

Her victory over Osaka sent Eala into the first WTA 500 final of her career and moved her within one win of a breakthrough tour-level championship.

“Going into this tournament, I looked at the list, and it was jam-packed,” Eala said after the semifinal. “It was big player after big player after big player. So to be in the final really means a lot to me.”

Eala added that her growing experience in high-pressure matches has prepared her for Sunday’s challenge.

“I’m in the final for a reason,” Eala said. “I just have to trust myself. She is such an amazing player. I think it’s going to be a really good match.”

Jessica Pegula Braces for Eala’s Filipino Crowd

Pegula, the tournament’s top seed, received a first-round bye before recovering to beat Magdalena Frech 3-6, 6-3, 6-0. She then defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 7-5 and rallied from a 5-2 first-set deficit to overcome Diana Shnaider 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals.

The American is pursuing her third title of the season and the 12th of her career. Washington holds special meaning for Pegula, who captured her first WTA title there in 2019.

Pegula also knows what to expect from Eala’s vocal Filipino supporters.

“Now, obviously, looking back, it’s gotten even crazier,” Pegula said of the following Eala has built since their first meeting.

Pegula leads their head-to-head series 1-0 after surviving Eala 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3 in the 2025 Miami Open semifinals. Sunday’s weather has postponed the rematch, but it has done little to diminish the stakes.

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