Filipino star Alex Eala bounces back from injury ahead of US Open

Dubai: It was the sight Filipino tennis fans had been waiting for — Alex Eala, back on court, racquet in hand, trading forehands under the Mallorca sun. Less than two weeks after a painful shoulder injury cast doubt over her US Open campaign, the 20-year-old left-hander is back in training and preparing for her first main-draw appearance at Flushing Meadows.

Eala’s most recent outing came at the Montreal Open, where she served a strong reminder of her growing stature on the WTA Tour by pushing former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to three sets. The Filipina left-hander stunned the Czech star with a dominant 6-3 first set before a left-shoulder injury flared up in the decider. A medical timeout in the third set disrupted her rhythm, and she eventually went down 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 in the opening round.

The injury forced her to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open, sparking concerns about her readiness for the US Open, scheduled from August 24 to September 7. However, Eala has now resumed full training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, where she has honed her game since her junior days. Before heading to New York, she is expected to compete at the Monterrey Open in Mexico — a chance to test her shoulder under match conditions and chase valuable ranking points.

This season has already been one of Eala’s most impressive. Earlier in the year, she made history as the first Filipino to earn direct entry into a Grand Slam main draw at Roland Garros. While she bowed out in the opening round in Paris, her fearless shot-making caught the eye of tennis watchers worldwide.

Her highlight of 2025 remains a sensational semi-final run at the Miami Open, where she knocked out three Grand Slam champions — Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and then-world No 1 Iga Swiatek — before falling to Jessica Pegula. That breakthrough propelled her into the top 60 for the first time, peaking at World No 56 in June.

Even with her recent ranking dip to No 68, Eala remains focused on steady progress rather than numbers. “There’s no pressure on me,” she said recently. “I’m focusing on enjoying the experience and growing every week.”

With her powerful baseline game, composure in big moments, and willingness to take on the game’s elite, Eala has already shown she belongs on the sport’s biggest stages. The US Open will now give her the chance to turn promise into performance — and perhaps claim that elusive first Grand Slam victory.