Despite bowing out in the second round of the 2025 US Open, Alex Eala made history — a sign of even greater things ahead for Philippine tennis.
Alex Eala’s run at the 2025 US Open may have been cut short with a 6-4, 6-3 loss to World No. 95 Cristina Bucsa, but it was definitely sweet.
The Filipina soared to new heights after her first-round victory over World No. 14 Carla Tauson. This upset not only marked history for the Philippines, as she officially became the first-ever Filipino, male or female, to win a Grand Slam match in the Open era, but more than this, it also signified a breakthrough for Eala on this stage.
This win promoted her to the second round of the competition — marking her first time in the Round of 64 at a Grand Slam event — where she faced World No. 95 Cristina Bucsa, who proved to be a formidable opponent.
The opening frame saw a back-and-forth affair between Eala and Bucsa as they exchanged games in the first set. The Spaniard’s quick runs and wide court coverage were a good match to the young Filipina’s powerful shots, and she managed to break Eala after a 4-4 deadlock to lead five games to four. From there, Bucsa held her serve and claimed the first set, 6-4.
The World No. 95 player continued her momentum by breaking Eala in the first game of the second set, but Eala instantly answered back by winning the next two to claim a 2-1 lead.
The pair then faced another back-and-forth stretch. Bucsa won the next two games to reclaim the lead, 3-2, but with the crowd rallying behind her, Eala held her serve and broke her opponent in the following two games to level the playing field once more.
The 27-year-old pushed hard with solid serves to win the next pair of games, allowing her to pull away with a crucial two-set cushion, 5-3. Eala attempted to control the match as she served for the next game. She saved herself with a critical point after Bucsa held match point; however, after a couple of unforced errors, Bucsa ultimately claimed the second round victory, bringing the Filipina’s US Open campaign to a close.
This may be the end of Alex’s 2025 US Open campaign, but if her performance in this short but sweet run is any indication, this is surely not the last time we will be seeing her succeed at this level.
After failing to break out of the first round in both Wimbledon and Roland Garros, her win against Clara Tauson in this tournament was a huge breakthrough for the youngster, who just made her debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam this year.
The US Open has always been a storied stage for Alex Eala. It was here that she also won the 2022 US Open Girls’ Singles Crown — another historic moment for Philippine tennis that, looking back, was a marker for even bigger things to come.
In the same vein, this is surely still just the beginning of more great things to come.
Banner image from AFP.