Sports
PH’s Alex Eala upsets No. 14 Tauson in US Open debut
By Jean Malanum, Philippine News Agency
Eala will meet the winner between world’s No. 95 Christina Bucsa of Moldova and American qualifier Claire Liu, ranked No.
317 in the world. (Photo: Alex Eala/PNA)
MANILA – Filipino tennis star Alex Eala survived world’s No. 14 Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11), in the first round of her US Open debut early Monday (Philippine time) at Flushing Meadows, New York.
“It’s so special,” said the world’s No. 70 Eala, commenting on the cheers she received from the Grandstand spectators.
“They make me more and more special.
To be Filipino is something I take so much pride in. I don’t have a home tournament, so to able to have this community here at the US Open, I’m so grateful. They made me feel like I’m home,” added the 20-year-old after making history as the first Filipino to advance to the second round of the US Open.
Eala will meet the winner between world’s No. 95 Christina Bucsa of Moldova and American qualifier Claire Liu, ranked No. 317 in the world.
At the Miami Open last March, Eala defeated Grand Slam champions – Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, American Madison Keys and Polish Iga Swiatek to reach the semifinal round, eventually losing to American Jessica Pegula, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 3-6.
Eala, a graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy, won the US Open junior girls’ singles title in 2022.
