Alex Eala adds mixed doubles to busy US Open schedule
Filipina star to pair with Canadian Auger-Aliassime for star-studded event
Stardom can start to feel heavy at times, but not for Filipina superstar Alexandra Eala. The 21-year-old breakout star of the WTA Tour is now part of literally every conversation around women’s tennis and despite her Round of 32 loss to Amanda Anisimova at the Cincinnati Open on Monday, the world No 20 – her live ranking is at No 18 – is lining up for more than just her singles run at the US Open.
On Monday, Eala and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime were given wild cards into the US Open mixed doubles tournament, along with spouses Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, and two-time defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
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Eala earned her first career title two weeks ago at the DC Open, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour event, and has been drawing large crowds to her matches and so it hardly came as a surprise that the organisers decided to make good use of this opportunity to have full house for her mixed doubles matches as well.
Topping the star-studded mixed doubles field is the team of No 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time men's Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic, who have the lowest combined singles ranking of any team that entered.
Also qualifying directly, in order of their rankings: Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud – the runner-up team last year – Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, and Anisimova and Learner Tien.
The remaining wild cards given Monday went to the teams of Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, and Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev.
The first round and quarter-finals will be played on August 25, with the semi-finals and final set for the following day. All of the matches will be played either in Arthur Ashe Stadium or Louis Armstrong Stadium, the two biggest venues.
For Eala, the mixed doubles and singles matches aren’t her only activities at the year’s final Grand Slam. The popular left-hander has been chosen to play in the Stars of the Open, a charity event annually held during US Open’s fans week, on Thursday, August 27 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
Eala will be joined at the exhibition event by her American friend Iva Jovic, as well as Americans Anisimova, Alex Michelsen, and Tien, Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, Brazilian Joao Fonseca, and Frenchman Arthur Fils.
