Washington is just the start of a seven-week tennis road trip through the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The journey wraps up at the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. But before that, all eyes are on the Mubadala DC Open. While top seeds like Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, and Emma Navarro stumbled early, two unseeded players have broken through the draw. Leylah Fernandez and Anna Kalinskaya will square off on Sunday, each with something big to prove. A WTA 500 title and a solid payday are at stake.
Both women had to earn their spots in the final with gritty, statement-making wins. Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, edged out Rybakina in a thrilling three-tiebreak semifinal, 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-6(3). The Canadian fired 12 aces and notched her second top-20 win of the week.
Anna Kalinskaya, on the other hand, took a faster route to the final. She knocked out Emma Raducanu in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, with the help of 14 sizzling backhand winners. There’s some irony in that result: Raducanu defeated Fernandez in the 2021 US Open final.
According to the WTA Tour, the winner in Washington will walk away with more than just the trophy. Over $1.2 million in total prize money was on offer at the Mubadala DC Open, and the singles champion will collect $197,570. But the 500 WTA ranking points might be just as valuable.
Image Credits: Anna Kalinskaya/Instagram
Alongside the women’s tournament, the ATP is also hosting its own 500-level event at the same venue. That makes the Mubadala DC Open the only combined WTA-ATP 500-level tournament on the calendar.
This is Kalinskaya’s third tour-level final. She went 0-2 in title matches last season and is still chasing her breakthrough moment. Fernandez already owns three titles, but all at the WTA 250 level. The 22-year-old has played in six previous finals, and Sunday will be her seventh.
Let’s preview the final!
Mubadala DC Open Final: Fernandez vs. Kalinskaya – Who Lifts the Trophy?
Both players have been ranked inside the Top 20 before and are currently on the edge of the elite. Leylah Fernandez is ranked World No. 36, and Anna Kalinskaya is at No. 48. Winning this WTA 500 would be the biggest title either has lifted in their career.
The two have only faced each other once before, and that was back in 2021. In Guadalajara, Fernandez squeaked past Kalinskaya in a tight three-setter, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. The rematch has been a long time coming.
The 2021 US Open finalist has built her week on belief and grit. Her water bottle reads “hard work” and “fight,” and that pretty much sums up her approach. “We’re doing things right,” Fernandez said on Saturday. “The results are going to come. [I’ll] keep enjoying it, and to not focus too much on results but focus on how my game is improving.” The Canadian’s run to the final wasn’t easy. She upset the top seed Jessica Pegula in the second round and then took down third-seeded Rybakina in the semifinals. Each match has added to her momentum.
Anna Kalinskaya has strung together three straight wins over higher-ranked opponents. The Russian has quietly turned Washington into one of her most successful stops on tour. Her main-draw record at the event is now 9-2, and she’s never lost here before the quarterfinals.
Back in 2019, she made the semifinals as a qualifier ranked No. 160. Now, with more experience and confidence, she’s one win away from a maiden WTA title. If she can find the angles to hit through Fernandez’s quick defense, the 26-year-old might finally get her moment.
Sunday’s final offers both players a shot at something big. For Leylah Fernandez, it’s about adding another chapter to an already promising career. For Anna Kalinskaya, it could be the start of a new one. The stage is set at the Mubadala DC Open, and both women are ready. Who gets the breakthrough?
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