Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. — Indonesian tennis star Aldila Sutjiadi etched her name into the country’s sporting history after winning the women’s doubles title at the prestigious Mubadala DC Open 2026 in Washington, D.C., United States. Partnering with New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe, the duo produced a commanding performance to defeat Slovenia’s Andreja Klepac and Japan’s Miyu Kato 6–4, 6–1 in the championship match.
The victory marks a historic milestone for Indonesian tennis, with Aldila becoming the first Indonesian player to capture a title at one of the world’s premier professional tennis tournaments. Currently ranked World No. 27 in women’s doubles, Aldila has demonstrated remarkable consistency and composure throughout the season under the guidance of her coach, Christopher Rungkat, a former Indonesian national tennis player.
The Mubadala DC Open is one of the longest-running and most prestigious hard-court tournaments in the United States. First held in 1969 as the Washington Star International, the event has become a key stop on the North American summer circuit leading up to the US Open.
Over the decades, the tournament has crowned many of tennis’ greatest champions, including Ken Rosewall, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Ivan Lendl, Yannick Noah, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams, and Serena Williams. American legend Andre Agassi remains the tournament’s most successful men’s singles champion with five titles won between 1990 and 1999.
Today, the Mubadala DC Open is classified as both an ATP 500 and WTA 500 tournament and is held at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. It is also recognized as the world’s only combined ATP 500 and WTA 500 event. The women’s doubles competition features only 16 elite pairs, with Aldila Sutjiadi and Erin Routliffe entering the tournament as the second seeds.
Born in Jakarta, Aldila first picked up a tennis racket at the age of five before turning professional in 2017. She has established herself as one of Southeast Asia’s leading doubles specialists, excelling on both grass and hard courts while maintaining a demanding international schedule through the remainder of the 2026 season.
Another Indonesian player, Janice Tjen, also competed in both the singles and doubles draws at the Mubadala DC Open as she continues her pursuit of higher rankings on the professional tour.
Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United States, Indroyono Soesilo, congratulated Aldila on her historic achievement, describing the victory as a proud moment for Indonesia on the international sporting stage. He expressed hope that the title would inspire Aldila to continue climbing the world rankings and strengthen her preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Aldila’s triumph represents another significant step forward for Indonesian tennis, highlighting the country’s growing presence and competitiveness in the global professional tennis arena. (*)
