Historic Victory for Alexandra Eala
In a landmark achievement, Alexandra Eala has etched her name in the history books as the first Filipino player to secure a victory in a Grand Slam match during the Open era. Competing at the US Open, the 20-year-old athlete, who trains under the guidance of Rafael Nadal at his academy, triumphed over No. 14 seed Clara Tauson with a final score of 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) on Sunday.
Remarkable Comeback
Eala’s remarkable comeback was highlighted by her battle from a 5-1 deficit in the deciding set, as well as a crucial intervention from the video review system that aided her cause.
Ranked 75th globally, Eala has been steadily climbing the ranks, with this victory marking her fourth win against a top-20 competitor in 2025, including a notable defeat of Iga Swiatek earlier this year, which propelled her to the Miami Open semifinals.
Decisive Moments
The decisive moment arrived during the final set on the Grandstand court, where Tauson was serving for the match, holding a 5-4 lead. As Eala executed a shot near the net, uncertainty arose regarding whether her racket crossed the tape—a violation that could have cost her the point.
The chair umpire, Kader Nouni, opted to utilize the video review technology, introduced at the US Open in 2023, previously limited but now expanded to all match courts.
After reviewing the play, Nouni determined that Eala’s shot was legitimate, empowering her with two break point opportunities at 15-40. This pivotal decision led to a brief interruption as Tauson challenged the ruling, expressing her doubts to Nouni and visibly frustrated, prompting booing from sections of the audience.
Eventually, Tauson’s focus faltered, resulting in a double fault that tied the set at 5-all, igniting a surge of support for Eala from the crowd.
Historic Win
From that moment, Eala seized momentum, winning 16 out of the last 21 points. Despite her growing lead, the match extended over two and a half hours and required five match points for Eala to secure her historic win. When Tauson sent a forehand long, Eala collapsed on the court in disbelief before celebrating her significant milestone with exhilaration as the crowd erupted in cheers.
