New York: Filipina tennis star Alexandra Eala made Grand Slam history at the US Open, advancing to the second round of a major tournament for the first time in her career.
The 20-year-old world number 75 defeated Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) in a gripping first-round match on the Grandstand court at Flushing Meadows, marking her maiden singles main draw victory at a Grand Slam.
Eala had never previously won a singles match at a major, falling in three-set battles at both the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year. However, backed by a raucous crowd that included members of New York’s vibrant Filipino community, particularly from Little Manila in Queens, she staged a remarkable comeback after trailing 5-1 in the third set, ultimately holding her nerve in an extended tiebreak.
Be ambitious, and dream big.
That's the message from Alexandra Eala. pic.twitter.com/D7JqBDZ3bJ
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2025
The win makes Eala the first Filipina in the Open Era to triumph in a Grand Slam singles main draw match. Elated by the historic moment, she said that, “It’s so special. To be Filipino is something I take so much pride in. I’m always in the mood for creating more history, this match is one for the books for me.”
This achievement adds to an already standout season for Eala. Earlier this year, she enjoyed a breakthrough run at the Miami Open, where she stunned three Grand Slam champions in succession on her way to the semi-finals.
The Filipina player defeated former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and former world number one Iga Swiatek, cementing her place among the sport’s rising stars. That performance propelled her into the world’s top 100, making her the first Filipino woman to achieve the feat.
Eala is no stranger to success in New York. In 2022, she won the US Open girls’ singles title, becoming the first Filipino to claim a junior Grand Slam singles crown.
Her victory over Tauson, however, was one of her hardest-fought. Tauson, a powerful yet inconsistent player, appeared in control late in the match but grew frustrated at 5-4 in the final set when she accused Eala of striking the ball before it crossed the net.
The dispute led to boos from the crowd as the 14th seed argued with chair umpire Kader Nouni. Eala maintained her focus, broke back, and went on to edge the dramatic third-set tiebreak.
Reflecting on her performance, Eala remarked that, “It was so difficult. She is a huge player, definitely not an easy draw for a first round, but I’m so happy that I could dig deep. I was thinking I had to push the limit, physically and mentally.”
With the victory, Eala advances to face either Spain’s world number 95 Cristina Bucsa or American Claire Liu in the second round as she continues her historic campaign at Flushing Meadows.
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