Filipino tennis star Alex Eala is moving forward with confidence as she takes her campaign to the Guadalajara Open in Mexico after making history at the U.S. Open in New York. The 20-year-old southpaw became the first Filipino player in the Open era to win a Grand Slam main draw singles match, a milestone that has energized her journey on the world stage.
Eala will begin her Guadalajara stint against Dutch player Arianne Hartono, a familiar opponent whom she has defeated in all three of their previous encounters. The second seed in the WTA 125 event, Eala is expected to carry her U.S. Open momentum into the week-long competition, where she hopes to advance deep into the draw before heading to Brazil for the Sao Paulo Open.
RELATED: [Eala Makes History: First Filipino To Win Major Main Draw Match]
Carrying Confidence from New York
At the U.S. Open, Eala earned international recognition with her first-round victory over world no. 14 Clara Tauson of Denmark, pulling off a thrilling 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) win. Though she fell to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the second round, the breakthrough cemented her place in Philippine sports history.
“I feel so loved and so blessed. I felt all the positivity and the energy that they gave me. It was such a pleasure to play in front of them. They made me feel like I was home. So lucky,” Eala expressed, paying tribute to the Filipino community in New York who cheered her on.
The young star acknowledged that while the victory was monumental, her development as a player continues. “The takeaway is to never give up. That’s always the mindset in every match, and that’s why I was able to produce such a comeback. It doesn’t always work, but you need to have that mentality,” she explained.
A Familiar Rival in Mexico
Eala’s opening test in Guadalajara will once again be Hartono, world no. 187, whom she first defeated in 2023 at the Roehampton 2 semifinal in Great Britain. She followed that with wins at the Canberra 125 in Australia and the W100 Bengaluru in India earlier this year. Their fourth clash in Mexico adds another layer of intrigue to her campaign.
“She was very smart and used her weapons well. For me, it’s about growing mine. having more options, more tactics to pull out when needed,” Eala remarked, reflecting on what she continues to improve in her game.
After Guadalajara, Eala’s schedule includes the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil before she returns to Asia for tournaments in Beijing, Wuhan, Hong Kong, and possibly Japan. Her strong showing in recent months has also boosted expectations for her potential appearance at the Southeast Asian Games in December.
