Four of tennis’ brightest young names, including Filipino standout Alex Eala, will headline this year’s “Stars of the Open presented by Chase,” a fan-favorite exhibition set for Aug. 27 at Arthur Ashe Stadium during US Open Fan Week.
The USTA announced that Eala will be joined by Joao Fonseca, Iva Jovic and Learner Tien for the 6 p.m. event, which showcases emerging stars in a night of entertaining exhibition matches.
Eala, 21, comes into the New York showcase following a breakout run on the WTA Tour that has lifted her to No. 29 in the world rankings, the highest position ever achieved by a Filipino player. After first gaining global attention with her junior US Open girls’ singles title in 2022, she has spent the past seasons steadily climbing through WTA events and Grand Slams, becoming a symbol of pride for tennis fans in the Philippines and Filipino communities abroad.
“Stars of the Open,” now in its fourth consecutive year, has grown into a signature part of US Open Fan Week, designed to offer accessible, entertainment-driven tennis ahead of the main draw. Fonseca, 19, rose to prominence last season as the youngest Brazilian champion on the ATP Tour in the Open Era.
Jovic, 18, is the youngest player ranked inside the WTA Top 20 and has already become the fourth-ranked American woman behind Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff and Amanda Anisimova. Tien, 20, holds a career-high ranking of No. 18 and made headlines in 2025 at the Australian Open when he became the youngest man to defeat a Top‑5 player in ATP Rankings history with his win over Daniil Medvedev.
Tickets start at $30 and are available via USOpen.org and Ticketmaster, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the USTA Foundation, the organization’s charitable arm. The Foundation supports the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network, more than 270 programs nationwide that combine tennis, academics and mentorship to help over 233,000 young people from under-resourced communities succeed in life.
“Stars of the Open” will stream on ESPN+ in the United States and be distributed internationally by US Open broadcast partners, expanding the global audience for Eala and her fellow rising stars.
For Filipino-American fans, Eala’s appearance adds to a growing list of international stages where she represents both the Philippines and the Fil-Am community — recognition that included a TOFA Global Award in Sports in 2022, conferred at The Town Hall in New York after her junior US Open triumph.
Eala was unable to attend the TOFA ceremony in person due to overseas training and competition commitments, but she sent a video acceptance message that was played for the audience, underscoring her ongoing connection to the community even as her career keeps her on the global tour.
