Alex Eala’s Courage Shines in Historic US Open Triumph Over Clara Tauson
ALEX EALA – Tennis fans witnessed a moment of pride for the Philippines as Alex Eala scored her first-ever singles triumph in a Grand Slam tournament.
Alex Eala etched a historic moment for Philippine tennis after scoring a sensational first-round triumph at the 2025 US Open. The 19-year-old tennis star from the Philippines stunned World No. 15 Clara Tauson of Denmark in a thrilling three-set showdown, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11), early Monday (Philippine time).
With the victory, Eala became the first Filipino player to win a singles match at a Grand Slam event in the Open era, ending her streak of early-round exits on tennis’ grandest stage. Flushing Meadows has always been a memorable venue for Eala, as she also won her first junior Grand Slam there by capturing the 2022 US Open girls’ singles crown.
Currently ranked World No. 75, Eala displayed tremendous determination in the match. Despite trailing 1-5 in the deciding set, she staged a remarkable comeback to force a dramatic tiebreak. Energized by the chants of the Filipino crowd inside the Grandstand, Eala fought through Tauson’s resistance and finally sealed the win on her fourth match point. The young athlete collapsed to the court in tears after her historic breakthrough.
“It was so, so difficult. I was so happy I was able to dig deep and push the limit, physically and mentally. This was it,” she said during her on-court interview.
Tauson, a three-time WTA titlist at only 22 years old, pushed Eala to the limit. After dropping the opening set, the Dane found her rhythm and dominated the second before racing to a big lead in the third. But Eala’s unyielding spirit turned things around as she reeled off five straight games to level the contest and eventually edge out her higher-ranked opponent.
The Filipina rising star acknowledged the crowd for their immense support, saying: “It’s so special. They [the crowd] make me more and more special to be a Filipino. It’s something I take so much pride in.”
With her landmark win, Eala now advances to the second round, determined to keep rewriting history. “I’m always in the mood for more history. This match is one for the books for me,” she declared.
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