FILIPINA tennis star Alex Eala moved within one victory of capturing her first-ever WTA 500 title after defeating former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka, 6-4, 6-2, in the semifinals of the Mubadala DC Open early Sunday (Manila time).

The victory sends the 20-year-old Filipina to her first WTA 500 final and marks another milestone in her rapidly rising career. It is also her first championship match on a hard court.

Eala delivered a composed performance against the four-time Grand Slam champion, overpowering Osaka with consistent shot-making and minimizing errors throughout the one-hour, 19-minute contest.

“I’m super happy. I think I played really well, and it was such a meaningful match against a great player,” Eala said after the match.

The opening set was tightly contested, with Osaka taking a slim 4-3 advantage after the players traded service games. But Eala responded emphatically, winning the next three games to claim the set, 6-4.

The Filipina carried that momentum into the second set, racing to a 2-0 lead before Osaka attempted to mount a comeback.

Osaka trimmed the deficit by winning two of the next three games, but Eala quickly regained control and closed out the match in dominant fashion.

Both players finished with 17 winners, while Osaka fired five aces compared to none for Eala. However, the Japanese star struggled with consistency, committing 34 unforced errors against Eala’s 18.

Awaiting Eala in the final is top seed Jessica Pegula, who defeated Diana Shnaider, 7-5, 6-4, in the other semifinal.

The championship match also offers Eala a chance at redemption. Pegula ended the Filipina’s breakthrough campaign at the Miami Open last year, and Eala will now have an opportunity to turn the tables with the Mubadala DC Open title on the line.