Cristina Bucsa Halts Alex Eala’s Breakthrough Journey at US Open 2025
ALEX EALA – The journey of Alex Eala in the US Open 2025 was cut short as she suffered a straight-sets defeat to Spanish ace Cristina Bucsa.
Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala saw her US Open 2025 campaign conclude in the second round after bowing to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, 6-4, 6-3, in their match early Thursday (Philippine time) at Court 7 of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Bucsa, 27, ranked No. 95 in the world, relied on her years of experience to prevail over the 20-year-old Eala, who entered the match with momentum from her breakthrough first-round win earlier this week. Although seeded lower, the Spanish player, appearing in her fifth US Open, maintained composure in key moments that ultimately determined the outcome.
Eala initially looked strong in the opening set, taking a 4-3 edge. However, Bucsa quickly turned the tide, winning three consecutive games to steal the set. Her resilience in saving three breakpoints and forcing errors from Eala proved decisive.
In the second set, Eala briefly surged ahead at 2-1. But after the score leveled at 3-all, Bucsa elevated her game, breaking serve and pulling away with three straight games to close out the match in just one hour and 22 minutes. This victory sends Bucsa into the third round of the US Open for the first time, matching her career-best showing at Wimbledon earlier this year.
Eala continued to fight hard, even saving a breakpoint in the ninth game of the second set. Still, two costly miscues ended her chances, as Bucsa completed the sweep. The stat line reflected the execution gap—Eala committed 21 unforced errors compared to Bucsa’s 12.
This year’s US Open marked Eala’s third and final main draw appearance in a Grand Slam tournament. Her first-round win over World No. 14 Clara Tauson of Denmark was historic, making her the first Filipino in the Open Era to claim a singles main draw victory at a Grand Slam event.
Though her run ended earlier than hoped, Eala’s current World No. 75 ranking is expected to improve, underscoring her steady rise in professional tennis. A former US Open girls’ singles champion in 2022, she remains a beacon of inspiration for Philippine tennis on the world stage.