Eala advances at US Open with gritty 3rd set comeback
ON NATIONAL HEROES’ DAY, Alexandra “Alex” Eala heroically pulled off a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) upset of world No. 15 Clara Tauson of Denmark at the US Open for her first-ever win at a Grand Slam.
On the brink of defeat, Ms. Eala erased what seemed to be an insurmountable 1-5 deficit in the final set for the epic win in two hours and 36 minutes.
Ms. Eala became the first Filipino player to score a main-draw victory at a Grand Slam.
Up next for Ms. Eala is WTA No. 35 Cristina Bucsa of Spain or qualifier Claire Liu of the US in the second round of her stacked bracket, with World No. 21 Elise Martens of Belgium potentially looming in the third round. Past that, World No. 1 and reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka, No. 4 Jessica Pegula, No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, No. 8 Jasmine Paolini and No. 10 Elena Rybakina are also in the draw.
“I’m always in the mood for more history. This match is one for the books for me,” according to the unseeded Eala, the WTA’s No. 75, after knocking out the Dane, who was seeded 14th in the tournament.
In front of more than 8,000 fans, Ms. Eala revisited the scene of her last US Open triumph as the 2022 tournament’s girls’ singles champion.
The crowd, which included her family and coaches at the Rafael Nadal Academy, was won over by her gritty third-set comeback.
“It’s so special. They make me more and more special. To be Filipino is something I take so much pride in,” Ms. Eala said after collapsing to the hardcourt after her opponent’s last shot went out of bounds in the tiebreaker.
“I don’t have a home tournament, so to be able to have this community at the US Open, I’m so grateful. They made me feel like I’m home.”
Watching at home, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sent his congratulations.
“She’s only getting started. Congratulations Alex Eala. Kasama mo ang buong Pilipinas sa bawat laban mo. Sama-sama naming isisigaw sa mundo ang galing ng Pilipino,” he said.
Fresh from shoulder injury last month, Ms. Eala was headed for defeat despite taking the first set, 6-3, after Ms. Tauson rode the momentum of 6-2 second set by going out 5-1 in the third.
Ms. Tauson, in her best WTA Tour season so far, notched a win against World No. 2 Iga Swiatek to reach the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Montreal.
She needed only a game to advance before Ms. Eala unleashed a staggering 5-1 closeout to force the tiebreak.
Ms. Eala, who had a magical run in the Miami Open last summer that propelled her to the WTA Top 100, entitling her to direct entry into all the slams, failed at the first hurdle at the French Open and Wimbledon. But not this time around.
Ms. Tauson became Ms. Eala’s latest high-ranking victim this year, joining former Grand Slam champions Madison Keys and Jelena Ostapenko. — John Bryan Ulanday
