WTA roundup: Kristina Liutova becomes youngest WTA champion since 2019

Field Level Media|published: Sun 2nd August, 18:48 2026 16-year-old Kristina Liutova reacts as she defeats Darja Vidmanova to win the inaugural Memphis Classic at Leftwich Tennis Center on August 2, 2026.

Sixteen-year-old Kristina Liutova of Russia claimed a 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Darja Vidmanova of the Czech Republic on Sunday to earn the title at the Memphis Classic in her first-ever WTA main-draw event.

Liutova, the world’s No. 229-ranked player who had to qualify to get into the main draw, became the first player aged 16-or-younger since Coco Gauff in 2019 to win a WTA event and the first player born in the 2010s to win a WTA event.

She started the tournament by advancing when top-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia was forced to retire, then handled sixth-seeded Caty McNally in the quarterfinals on the way to the title.

Liutova did not register any aces on the hard-court surface against Vidmanova, but she converted seven of 10 break-point opportunities. She converted a higher percentage of her second serves into points (12 of 19) than her first serves (27 of 55).

Mubadala DC Open

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula built a 6-4, 1-2 lead over the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala in the final of the Mubadala DC Open before play was suspended late Sunday afternoon due to heavy rain and lightning in Washington.

Pegula secured two of three break-point chances to take the first set, including one to break a 4-4 deadlock before she served out the set. She also saved three of four break-point chances on her serve in the opening set.

National Bank Open

Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rahkimova defeated Venus Williams 6-4, 6-1 to highlight first-round action in Toronto.

Rahkimova needed 1 hour, 27 minutes to secure the win over Williams, 46, who received a wild card to play in Toronto for the 13th time. Williams, who defeated her sister, Serena, in the 2014 National Bank Open semifinals before losing in the final, posted two aces versus six double faults against Rahkimova. She converted just one of her four break-point chances and saw her WTA losing streak reach 13 consecutive matches.

–Field Level Media

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