Alex Eala’s breakthrough U.S. Open run ended under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the 20-year-old Filipina pushed American teenager Iva Jovic through three tight sets before falling 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in the third round.
Eala, the No. 17 seed, fought back after losing the opening set and took the second 6-3. But Jovic, 18 and seeded 14th, regained control late in the decider to reach the fourth round for the first time. The match lasted three hours and offered the kind of high-pressure stage Eala’s season has increasingly demanded.
Eala left the court visibly emotional after saluting the crowd, an understandable response after coming within a few games of a first trip to the second week of a Grand Slam. Still, her Flushing Meadows campaign confirmed how quickly her profile has risen beyond the Philippines.
The New York tournament arrived after a summer in which Eala became a major draw on and off the court, including a run at the Mubadala DC Citi Open that deepened interest in the young Filipina’s game. Her U.S. Open matches drew strong Filipino support, while major outlets including The New York Times, Vogue Philippines and The Guardian focused on the growing audience around her and the broader importance of her ascent for Philippine tennis.
The attention has brought enormous opportunity and an unusual degree of expectation for a 21-year-old athlete carrying the hopes of a tennis-loving Filipino public. Eala met much of it head-on in New York, producing two wins before Jovic ended her campaign.
By reaching the third round, Eala earned $290,000 in prize money, or about P18.17 million PhP.
Leylah Fernandez, the Canadian player of Filipino heritage, also exited in the third round. Fernandez, seeded 31st, opened strongly against No. 3 Jessica Pegula, taking the first set 6-1 before Pegula rallied to win 6-1, 4-6, 3-6.
Fernandez also earned $290,000 for reaching the third round.
For Filipino fans, the week offered two different but connected stories. Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open finalist whose mother is Filipina, again showed her ability to challenge top opponents on a major stage. Eala, meanwhile, gave New York a close look at a player whose rise is becoming larger than one tournament.
Jovic now advances to the fourth round, while Eala leaves with a loss that will sting and a U.S. Open performance that reinforced why the tennis world is paying closer attention.
