‘Over the moon’: Filipino Eala bags historic first at U.S. Open

Alexandra Eala produced a jaw-dropping late comeback to carve out a chunk of tennis historical past on the U.S. Open on Sunday (August 24, 2025), turning into the primary participant from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match with a first-round upset of Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson.

The 20-year-old from Quezon Metropolis recovered from a 5-1 deficit within the deciding set to attain an exhilarating 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13/11) triumph.

“I’m tremendous over the moon with what I used to be capable of do immediately, particularly coming again within the third,” Eala stated. “It’s a really particular win for me.”

Eala’s breakthrough comes on the finish of a season the place she had already served discover of her expertise.

She took down Australian Open champion Madison Keys and former world primary Iga Swiatek throughout a giant-killing run to the semi-finals of the Miami Open in March.

However Sunday’s (August 25, 2025) triumph on the Grandstand court docket at Flushing Meadows catapulted the teenager — who gained the US Open women title in 2022 — into the historical past books.

“I’m so blessed to be the primary to do that,” Eala stated. “I take a lot satisfaction in representing my nation. It makes what I do larger than myself, and it provides that means to what I do.”

Eala collapsed to the court docket after her victory, later revealing that previous experiences had helped her dig deep to clinch the tiebreak.

“I used to be simply so over the moon, and it was simply such a rush of feelings,” she stated.

“I believe so many elements made the match so particular. I’ve been on the shedding aspect of those tight tiebreaks earlier than, so to be on the profitable aspect, it’s very memorable.”

Eala stated she plans to take the identical never-say-die mentality into the rest of the event.

“The important thing for my upcoming match is simply to return in with the identical mentality, similar battle,” she stated. “Proper now I’m simply targeted on recovering.”

Eala’s win got here on the identical day that one other participant from Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, scored one other upset to ship twenty fourth seed Veronika Kudermetova crashing out.

“I’m so pleased to see the progress of tennis in Southeast Asia on the whole,” Eala stated. “I’ve identified (Janice) for a very long time, so I’m pleased for her. I’m pleased that gamers from this area are developing and beginning to achieve success.

“I’m so pleased for her, and it’s good to see somebody that you just grew up with on the most important levels on the planet.”