US Open: Nadal Academy star rejoices historic win with unreal comeback vs Clara Tauson

Alexandra Eala etched her name into tennis history at the 2025 US Open, becoming the first Filipino player in the Open Era to win a main-draw match at a Grand Slam.

The 19-year-old from Manila, a product of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain, stunned the tennis world with a sensational comeback against 14th seed Clara Tauson, delivering one of the most dramatic opening-round encounters of the tournament.

Eala showcased extraordinary resilience in the three-set thriller, prevailing 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 after saving multiple match points. Trailing 1-5 in the deciding set, she refused to surrender, clawing her way back with fearless shot-making and unshakable composure.

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The final act unfolded in a gripping tiebreak, where Eala held her nerve to seal victory 13-11 on her fifth match point. Overcome with emotion, she collapsed on the court in tears—a moment that embodied both the magnitude of her achievement and the immense pride she carried for her nation.

Reflecting on her win, Eala said, "I would say anything is possible, and it’s important to dream big. I’ve always been ambitious, and even though no one from my country had done this before or found success in tennis, I drew inspiration wherever I could—from my family, from my brother. So my message is to stay ambitious, dream big, and believe that you can achieve it."

Alexandra Eala keeps breaking barriers

Eala’s journey to this milestone has been years in the making. In 2022, she became the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles title, capturing the US Open girls’ crown. Earlier this year, she made global headlines with a breakthrough run to the Miami Open semifinals, where she stunned the tennis world by defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.

In Miami, Eala showcased her growing pedigree by overcoming three Grand Slam champions—Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Swiatek—on her way to the last four. That remarkable surge propelled her to a career-high WTA ranking of No. 56, the best-ever achieved by a Filipino player.

In the second round of the ongoing hard-court major at Flushing Meadows, Eala will be up against the winner of the clash between Cristina Bucsa and Claire Liu.