Alexandra Eala made history as the first Filipino to clinch a victory in a Grand Slam main draw during the professional era, triumphing over 14th seed Clara Tauson in a thrilling first-round upset at the US Open on Sunday.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Eala was moved to tears amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the Grandstand crowd, as she orchestrated a remarkable comeback from being 5-1 down in the third set, ultimately defeating the Dane 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (11), even as Tauson served twice for the match.
“It means a lot, as you could see from my reaction,” Eala shared with reporters.
“Everything about this moment was special—from my opponent to the crowd’s energy. It’s incredible to be the first to achieve this. I take immense pride in representing my country.
“Being the first to do this is a blessing. It elevates the significance of my efforts, adding deeper meaning to my journey.”
The 20-year-old is no stranger to significant achievements at Flushing Meadows, having already set a precedent in 2022 as the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles title.
The momentous day for Southeast Asia was further enriched by Janice Tjen, who became the first Indonesian in 22 years to win a match at a major. Tjen overcame 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, and will face Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the second round.
“I’m proud to achieve this for my country,” Tjen expressed. “I hope my presence here inspires more young tennis enthusiasts to believe they can reach this stage too.”
Eala noted that sharing success with Tjen added extra significance to her accomplishment.
“I’m thrilled to witness the progress of tennis in Southeast Asia,” she said. “I’ve known Tjen for a long time, and I’m happy for her success. It’s great to see players from our region rising and achieving success.”
Eala is set to leverage her momentum into Wednesday’s second-round match against either Spain’s Cristina Bucsa or American qualifier Claire Liu.
“The key for my next match is maintaining the same mindset and determination,” she added.
“Right now, I’m focused on recovery. That was a very challenging match, but I believe it will benefit me in the long run.”
