Eala nets first Filipina Grand Slam main-draw win at US Open

Alexandra Eala stunned the tennis world on Sunday, August 24, at the US Open in Queens, New York, when the 20 year old Filipina upset 14th-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, prevailing 13-11 in a marathon tiebreak to become the first player from the Philippines to win a main draw singles match at a Grand Slam in the Open Era. The victory came on the opening day of the tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and marked a milestone for Philippine tennis.

Eala rallied after falling behind 5-1 in the deciding set to force the tiebreak, where she converted her fifth match point. She celebrated the win by collapsing to the court, visibly moved by the moment as a strong contingent of Filipino supporters cheered from the stands. In her on-court and postmatch comments, Eala urged others to aim high, saying that anything is possible and encouraging people to dream big, crediting inspiration from family and past Filipino players.

The result capped a breakout 2025 for Eala, who cracked the WTA top 100 after a deep run at the Miami Open in March where she recorded notable wins over Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek before falling to Jessica Pegula in the...