Filipino tennis sensation Alexandra “Alex” Eala shocked the US Open stage and the Philippines as she fought off the world No. 14 Clara Tauson to earn a miraculous 7-6 victory (13-11) in the final set. Eala is now into the second round of a Grand Slam singles main draw for the first time.
Match Overview:
Moment of Truth: Trailed 1–5 in the third and came back to win.
Result: 6–3, 2–6, 7–6 (13–11)
Match length: Two hours and 36 minutes spoiled by a rain delay.
Tauson was deeply skilled hitting aces and smashing groundstrokes, but Eala’s resiliency was on full display. She reeled off five straight games to even it up in the final set, took the match point in a clearly pressured tie-breaker and then received a double-fault (from Tauson) that completed her victory.
Clutch Crunch Takeaways:
First Grand Slam singles win: Eala pulled off a career milestone with enormous pressure.
Unbreakable comeback spirit: 1–5 down in the decider—a total clutch moment.
A historic moment for PHTennis: A historic fat chapter in Filipino sports history at a Grand Slam.
Final Thoughts
This win is more than a match; it’s history in the making. Alex Eala’s comeback win is more than a statement win; it’s a legacy game for PH tennis. The US Open has just gained a new star and she is just getting started.
(Image credits: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image cropped)