Brandon Nakashima is through to the semi-finals of the Washington Open after defeating reigning champion Alex De Minaur in straight sets.

De Minaur beat Nakashima in the quarter-finals en route to winning the competition last year, but Nakashima was able to exact revenge with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win this time around.

De Minaur made an early breakthrough as he converted his first break point in the third game, though he squandered a chance to move further ahead in the seventh.

And Nakashima made the most of that opportunity, getting the first set back on serve a game later before winning the tie-break with his third set point.

De Minaur piled the pressure on Nakashima in the second, creating four break opportunities in the American's first three service games, but the home favourite successfully defended all of them.

Nakashima then broke ahead in the ninth game before serving for the match, and he saved another break point in the 10th before clinching victory with his first match point.

Brandon's redemption 

Last year's QF rematch goes @b_nakashima way as he stuns the defending champ de Minaur 7-6(5), 6-4 @mubadaladcopen | #MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/xZkFQgCiEz

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 31, 2026

Nakashima topples the top seed

Nakashima has received a huge boost in his search for a first ATP-500 title, knocking out the first seed in Washington.

It was an impressive display from the 24-year-old, who won 83% of his first-serve points while also saving six of the seven break points he faced.

It will be an all-American tie in the semi-finals as either Taylor Fritz or Alex Michelsen await in the next round, but Nakashima can be confident of defeating either of them following this win.

De Minaur, meanwhile, has suffered a setback in his preparations for the US Open, which starts at the end of August.