Alex Eala’s historic 2025 campaign may have hit a pause with her US Open exit, but the 20-year-old Filipina tennis star still has plenty of tennis left to play this season.
Eala bowed out of the US Open after a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the second round on Wednesday, August 27 (Thursday, August 28 in Manila). While the loss was disappointing, it marked another significant step forward in a year where she has already made history for Philippine tennis.
Her journey continues in South America. Eala is set to compete next at the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil from September 8 to 14, a tournament that returns to the WTA calendar for the first time in 25 years. The event features a 32-player main draw headlined by big names such as world No. 22 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil and No. 47 Hailey Baptiste of the United States.
The Sao Paulo Open presents another chance for Eala to add to what has already been a breakthrough season. She first turned heads in March when she stunned Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Jelena Ostapenko to reach the semifinals of the Miami Open. That remarkable run made her the first Filipino to reach the last four of a WTA 1000 event, an achievement that propelled her into the world’s top 100 and granted her direct entry into the Grand Slam tournaments.
Her ranking breakthrough led to more history. Eala became the first Filipino in the Open era to compete in the main draws of the French Open and Wimbledon, though she exited in the opening rounds of both majors. Still, her presence alone marked a milestone for Philippine tennis.
In June, Eala carved another achievement by becoming the first Filipino to contest a WTA final at the Eastbourne Open, though she ultimately fell short against Australia’s Maya Joint.
Then came her US Open breakthrough. Facing a tough first-round opponent in 14th seed Clara Tauson of Denmark, Eala delivered one of the biggest wins of her career. In a dramatic three-set thriller, she prevailed 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (11), securing her place in history as the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main draw match in the Open era.
Although her US Open journey ended against Bucsa, Eala leaves New York with invaluable lessons and added experience that will serve her well heading into the rest of the season. With Sao Paulo up next, she has yet another opportunity to continue building momentum, testing her game against top-tier talent, and pushing closer to that elusive first WTA title.
The road ahead remains promising. For Eala and Philippine tennis fans, the story of 2025 is far from finished.