DOWN GOES ALEX

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Defending champion Alex de Minaur was bounced out of the Washington Open by Brandon Nakashima on Friday as women’s top seed Jessica Pegula and Naomi Osaka reached the semifinals of the ATP and WTA event.

De Minaur, the world No. 6 from Australia, fell to American Nakashima 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in a rematch of last year’s Washington quarterfinal.

“He came out with some great serving, a lot of first serves,” the top-seeded Aussie said. “I played at a high level. I just threw in two pretty awful games on my serve.”

“It’s a little bit frustrating, but you live, and you learn.”

World No. 33 Nakashima booked a Saturday all-American semi-final against 10th-ranked Taylor Fritz, who outlasted countryman Alex Michelsen 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6).

World No. 3 Pegula, an American who won her first career WTA title at Washington in 2019. eliminated 20th-ranked Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 7-5 to reach her sixth WTA semifinal of the year.

“Since the beginning of the year I’m finding more confidence in matches, hitting different spots,” Pegula said.

“I was focusing on that a lot today.”

Pegula will play for a berth in the final against fourth seed Diana Shnaider, who ousted Russian compatriot Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-4.

Japan’s third-seeded Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, rallied to eliminate Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 after two hours and 11 minutes.

World No. 13 Osaka next faces Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.

“In the first set, I had low energy, and I kept trying to pump myself up, but something was a little flat,” Osaka said. “In the second, I just wanted to give it my best shot even though I wasn’t playing too well.”

Nakashima, whose only ATP title came at San Diego in 2022, never trailed De Minaur in the tie-break and fired his eighth of 10 aces to take the first set.

“He’s a very quick and explosive player,” Nakashima said. “I knew I had to serve well at the crucial moments and try to be aggressive.”

Nakashima broke in the ninth game of the second set, then held on a service winner to end matters after one hour and 54 minutes.

“I was probably playing better, having better stats on top in the first set, and it just slipped away,” de Minaur said. “In the second set I’ve got my chances. Break points, just can’t convert. All of a sudden I throw in a bad game, and that’s the match.”

Nakashima saved six of seven break points he faced in improving to 3-1 in their personal rivalry, including a Queen’s quarter-final triumph in June.

Pegula seeks her 12th career WTA crown and third of the year after triumphs in Dubai and Charleston.

She broke in the fourth game and held from there to take the first set in 37 minutes, then broke in the 11th game of the second set and held at love to advance.

Osaka was undone by 18 unforced errors, three times as many as her rival, in dropping the first set after 41 minutes.

She reached a third set when Cocciaretto double-faulted away a break in the 10th game of set two.

Osaka hit a backhand winner to break in the second game of the final set and held from there.