Why Filipina star Alex Eala has her best chance to create history at Flushing Meadows

Dubai: The bright lights of New York are nothing new to Alex Eala — but this time, the stakes are higher. A decade after lifting the junior crown at Flushing Meadows, the 20-year-old Filipina returns to the US Open, this time as a main-draw contender chasing her first senior Grand Slam win.

Eala will open her campaign on Sunday, August 24, against Denmark’s Clara Tauson, the world No. 15 and tournament’s 14th seed. Though it is a baptism of fire for the world No. 70, she could fancy her chances after beating several higher-ranked rivals earlier this season, most notably during her impressive run in Miami. This will be her first main-draw appearance in the season’s final Slam, following earlier debuts at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

A meeting between two budding talents

The showdown will also be a first-time meeting between Eala and Tauson, and it promises intrigue. Tauson, just 22, has established herself among the tour’s next generation of stars. She began the year by lifting the ASB Classic trophy in Auckland and followed up with a strong run to the Wimbledon fourth round — her deepest Grand Slam campaign to date. Entering New York at a career-high ranking, the Dane is tipped to make another deep push.

For Eala, the challenge could hardly be tougher. But she has shown glimpses this season that she can compete at the highest level. At Wimbledon, she forced defending champion Barbora Krejcikova to a three-set battle in their opening-round clash, and in Montreal she stunned former Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova by taking the first set before a shoulder injury turned the match in the Czech’s favour.

Dip in rankings

That injury derailed her summer, forcing her to withdraw from both the Cincinnati Open and Monterrey Open. The layoff cost her match fitness and contributed to a small dip in her ranking, sliding from No 68 to 70. But the break also gave her time to heal, and in recent weeks Eala has been back in full training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, where she has honed her game since her teenage years.

Her return to New York carries emotional resonance. It was here, in 2022, that she captured the US Open girls’ singles crown — the first Filipina to do so. Now, standing on the brink of her first senior appearance in Flushing Meadows, she represents the hopes of a country that has never had a women’s player break through at this level.

Eala has taken the attention in her stride. Posting a photo on Instagram with the caption “New York, New York,” she signalled her quiet readiness to take on the biggest stage in tennis. More importantly, she has kept perspective through the ups and downs of her season. “There’s no pressure on me,” she has said, stressing that her focus remains on learning, enjoying the experience, and improving each week.

In the path of Sabalenka

The path ahead is anything but easy. Both Eala and Tauson are in the stacked top half of the draw that includes defending champion and world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, ninth seed Elena Rybakina, Canadian-Filipino crowd favourite Leylah Fernandez, and former US Open winner Emma Raducanu.

For Eala, though, the challenge itself is part of the reward. Every point won, every game stretched, will be a step toward history. From junior champion to WTA contender, her story is now being written on tennis’ grandest stage.