Alex Eala continues to make tennis history for the Philippines, securing the nation’s first-ever main draw grand slam victory with a dramatic first-round win at the US Open on Sunday.
The 20-year-old outlasted No. 14 seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(11) in a thrilling encounter. Eala staged a remarkable comeback from 1-5 down in the final set, collapsing to the court in disbelief after Tauson’s forehand sailed long on match point.
“I’m so blessed to be the first to do this,” Eala told reporters. “I take so much pride in representing my country. It makes what I do bigger than myself, and it adds meaning to what I do.”
This latest milestone follows her breakthrough performance at the Miami Open in March, where as a wild card she defeated three grand slam champions to reach her first WTA Tour semifinal. That run made her the first Filipina to achieve a WTA semifinal, defeat a top-10 player, and break into the world’s top 100.
At the US Open, Eala was buoyed by a passionate crowd at the Grandstand arena. Flushing Meadows is near the large Filipino community in Queens’ Little Manila, and their vocal support created an electric atmosphere. The roar that erupted on match point was befitting of a final weekend contest in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It’s so special,” she said of the support. “To be Filipino is something I take so much pride in. I don’t have a home tournament, so to be able to have this community here at the US Open, I’m so grateful they made me feel like I’m home.”
A product of the Rafael Nadal Academy since age 13, Eala has long been a top prospect. Her junior career included girls’ doubles titles at the Australian and French Opens, culminating in a historic 2022 US Open girls’ singles championship—the first junior grand slam singles trophy for a Filipino player.
Eala’s victory was part of a landmark day for Asian tennis. In another notable result, 23-year-old Janice Tjen of Indonesia defeated No. 25 seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, becoming the first Indonesian to win a main draw grand slam match since 2003. Additionally, 21-year-old Coleman Wong became the first men’s player from Hong Kong to win a grand slam match in the Open Era.
“I’m so happy to see the progress of tennis in Southeast Asia in general,” Eala said, acknowledging Tjen’s win. “It’s nice to see someone that you grew up with in the biggest stages in the world.”
Tjen, a former standout at Pepperdine University, will next face Emma Raducanu. She aims to be the first Indonesian to reach a grand slam third round since 2000.
Despite her rapid ascent, which includes a recent run to her first WTA final at the Eastbourne Open, Eala said she remains grounded, crediting her team for keeping her focused.
“Just being in these tournaments, in these slams… it just motivates me so much more,” she said. Her message to other young Asian players inspired by her journey is simple: “Anything is possible and dream big.”
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