The tennis player is now the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam seniors’ singles match at the 2025 US Open after having beaten World No. 14 Clara Tauson.
Alex Eala has added another feather to her cap with a historic win during her 2025 US Open debut. The 20-year-old recently took down World No. 14 Clara Tauson (Denmark) in the Grand Slam seniors’ singles match, making her the first Filipino to win a main-draw match at a Grand Slam in the Open Era. While Eala trailed behind in the deciding set (5-1), she quickly gained momentum afterwards, winning the subsequent five games
The match resulted in a final score of 6‑3, 2‑6, 7‑6 (13‑11), though it came after a tense match. Eala was trailing behind (5-1) in the deciding set before taking the lead, winning the subsequent five matches, and forcing a 10-point tiebreak that eventually resulted in her stunning victory.
“It was so, so difficult,” Eala tells US Open correspondent Scott Sode. “[Clara is] a huge player, she’s a great player. Definitely not an easy draw for a first round, but I’m so happy that I was able to dig deep. I was just thinking to push the limit physically, mentally…this was it.”
The historic win is just one of many trailblazing triumphs for the Filipino tennis player. Earlier this year, she made headlines after not only having made it to the Miami Open semifinals but also beating Grand Slam champions like Iga Swiatek in the process.
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What’s Next For Alex Eala After This US Open Win?
In 2025, Eala has bagged four wins against Top 20 players. The athlete’s recent victory also makes her the first Filipino qualified to enter the second round of the US Open—and if she advances, quite possibly the third round, though she’ll need to beat Spain’s Cristina Bucsa. The two last faced each other in a 2021 match during the W25 Grenoble in France, where Eala emerged as the winner.
Photos via Instagram @alex.eala
