By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — Alexandra “Alex” Eala will put friendship aside when she takes on American Iva Jovic in a highly anticipated third-round showdown at the 2026 US Open, with a place in the Round of 16 at stake.
The Eala-Jovic match is scheduled for Saturday, September 5, 2026, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, as part of the women’s singles third round.
The US Open’s official tournament schedule lists third-round matches on Sept. 5 in both the 11 a.m. day session and 7 p.m. evening session in New York. However, the tournament had yet to release the specific order of play for Day 7 at the time of publication, meaning Eala and Jovic’s exact court and starting time remained unconfirmed.
For Philippine viewers, the New York sessions fall on the evening of Sept. 5 and early morning of Sept. 6, Philippine time, because New York is 12 hours behind the Philippines during the US Open.
The match has quickly become one of the most intriguing third-round encounters because Eala and Jovic are not only young rising stars but also close friends away from the competition.
Eala, ranked No. 18 in the world, reached the third round after producing a convincing 6-1, 6-4 victory over Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova. The win was particularly significant because Oliynykova had beaten the Filipina earlier this season in Strasbourg. Eala responded with a controlled performance to reach the third round of the US Open for the first time.
Jovic also advanced in straight sets, defeating Britain’s Francesca Jones 6-4, 6-4 to arrange the all-important meeting with her Filipino friend.
The American teenager, who is seeded 14th, enters the match with an advantage in their senior singles rivalry. Jovic has beaten Eala in both of their previous meetings this season and has yet to drop a set against the Filipina.
Their first encounter came at the French Open, followed by another meeting at the HSBC Championships in London. Both times, Jovic emerged victorious.
Their friendship was also highlighted during US Open Fan Week, when the two played an exhibition match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Jovic won that one-set encounter, adding another interesting chapter to their relationship before their first competitive meeting in New York.
Despite the previous losses, Eala remains focused on what she can control.
She has already enjoyed a breakthrough season, highlighted by her WTA 500 title in Washington and a fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon. Her continued progress has also pushed her into the world’s top 20 and made her one of the most closely watched young players in women’s tennis.
Now, she faces an opponent who knows her game well.
For Eala, however, the objective is simple: end Jovic’s unbeaten record against her, reach the US Open fourth round for the first time and continue a historic campaign in New York.
Whatever court the tournament assigns and whenever the match begins, one thing is certain — once the first serve is delivered, friendship will have to wait.
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