By el Amigo
MANILA — Backed by a loud and passionate Filipino crowd at Flushing Meadows, Alex Eala opened her 2026 US Open campaign in commanding fashion, sweeping American qualifier Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, early Wednesday (Manila time) to advance to the second round.
The No. 17 seed quickly seized control of the match, feeding off the energy from the stands as Filipino fans rallied behind the country’s biggest tennis star. Cheers of support echoed around the court as Eala dictated the pace and kept Stoiana under pressure.
Eala needed little time to establish her dominance, racing through the opening set, 6-1. Stoiana showed more resistance in the second set and attempted to disrupt Eala’s rhythm, but the Filipina remained composed and eventually closed out the match in straight sets.
The victory sends Eala into the Round of 64 and adds another chapter to her remarkable rise on the international tennis stage.
Eala entered the tournament as the No. 17 seed and ranked No. 18 in the world, making her the highest-seeded Filipina in Grand Slam history. Her breakthrough season has included a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon, where she scored a stunning victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek, as well as her first WTA singles title in Washington.
The US Open has also been a special venue for Eala. She won the girls’ singles championship in New York in 2022 and returned three years later to become the first Filipino player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam main-draw singles match.
Now, Eala will look to extend her latest Flushing Meadows run against Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round.
Oliynykova advanced after defeating American wild card Reese Brantmeier, 6-4, 6-4.
The second-round clash also presents Eala with an opportunity for redemption. Oliynykova defeated the Filipina in their previous meeting at the Internationaux de Strasbourg last May, winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
With Filipino supporters expected to once again rally behind her, Eala returns to the court carrying not only the hopes of Philippine tennis fans back home but also the energy of a growing Filipino community in New York. ia/xf
