When the stakes rise, the tension always boils over. And for Alexandra Eala, every point matters. The 20-year-old from the Philippines is making her US Open debut, and she’s not backing down. Facing Clara Tauson in the opener was no easy task, but Eala has beaten top names this year. She’s proven she has the momentum to take on anyone. Tauson, though, wasn’t too pleased.

On Sunday, Eala came out blazing. She grabbed the first set 6-3 against Denmark’s Tauson, and the New York crowd roared. Fans were hooked as the two traded heavy rallies. But Tauson struck back. She dominated the second set 6-2, forcing a decider and ratcheting up the tension.

The third set was pure drama. Eala trailed 1-5 but refused to quit. She mounted a fearless comeback, clawing to 4-5. Then came the controversy. At the net, she flicked a ball, and it wasn’t clear if her racket had crossed the tape — a violation if it had. Chair umpire Kader Nouni called for a video review. That system, first used at the US Open in 2023, now covers all 17 competition courts.

The replay settled it. Nouni ruled Eala’s shot was fair and awarded her the point. She now had two break chances at 15-40. Tauson, however, erupted. “Look at the ball. What is your opinion about this? What is your opinion?” she yelled at Nouni as boos echoed through the stands. The delay dragged on as she stood at the baseline, hands on her hips, refusing to serve.

When play resumed, the crack in Tauson’s composure showed. A double fault handed Eala the break, tying the score at 5-all. Arthur Ashe Stadium roared as New York rallied behind the Filipina. It felt like the match had shifted.

And it did. The set went all the way to a tiebreak. Eala held her nerve in the wild, back-and-forth battle and sealed it 7-6 (11). With that, Alexandra Eala stormed into the next round of her debut US Open! However, the 20-year-old has faced a few bumps this season.

Just before the US Open, at Montreal, she suffered a shoulder injury that took her out of contention and forced her to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open. It put a question mark over her chances at New York, however, she’s confident in her form now!

Alexandra Eala’s injury update ahead of US Open

Alex Eala’s last stop was the Montreal Open, where she gave a glimpse of her growing stature. The 20-year-old stunned former Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova with a 6-3 opening set. But a left-shoulder injury popped up in the decider, and after a medical timeout, she faded in a 6-3, 1-6, 2-6 loss.

On the eve of her US Open debut, she was sweating it out under the New York sun. Temperatures hit 30 degrees as Eala hit with Victoria Kasintseva. “The practice today was good. We played points, rallies—she’s hitting the ball very well. The important thing is tomorrow. In matches, things change, but I think we are ready,” said her coach, Joan Bosch. He added: “The shoulder is okay now. We had been doing fewer serves before, but last week we started serving normally again. Everything is healed.”

Eala herself was grateful just to compete. “I feel so fortunate to be here, especially after coming back from an injury. I’m just happy to be healthy and fit to compete,” she said. Asked about Tauson, she kept it honest. “I feel more physically fit now. Mas experienced na ako ngayon, mas maraming dinaanan,” which means “I am more experienced now, I have been through a lot.”

She added, “A year plus of experience I can lean on. It’s always going to be a great battle. She’s a very good player, but there are no easy draws here. You just have to come out with the same mindset and focus on yourself.” This season is already historic for Alex Eala, who became the first Filipino with a direct Slam entry at Roland Garros, impressing with fearless shot-making despite a first-round exit.

Now in New York, she’s making waves again, battling back from 1-5 down against a seasoned player like Clara Tauson to punch her ticket into the next round. And the question lingers: what else will she bring to the court?