No. 18 Seed Alex Eala Begins US Open Run Against Mary Stoiana
Filipino tennis player Alex Eala arrives at Flushing Meadows, New York, for the 2026 US Open after climbing to a career-high world ranking of No. 18. International tennis fans and tournament organizers are watching the 21-year-old closely as her rapid ascent on the WTA tour continues to draw major stadium crowds.
First WTA Champion From the Philippines Faces Qualifier Mary Stoiana
Eala opens her Flushing Meadows main draw campaign against American qualifier Mary Stoiana, with three consecutive victories required to potentially set up a fourth-round showdown against fourth-seeded Coco Gauff at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 21-year-old enters the tournament less than a month after defeating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the final at Washington, rallying from a set down to become the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA singles title.
Her summer campaign included reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon, doubles partnerships alongside Venus Williams, and a practice session on Saturday with former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka that drew crowds to the outer courts. ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe urged tournament organizers to consider her mounting popularity when making court assignments, recalling how supporters packed the 8,000-seat Grandstand during her previous appearance in New York.
During that match last year, Eala rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the third set to defeat 14th-ranked Clara Tauson. Former world No. 4 and ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez noted that Eala’s fan base has grown consistently across tour venues since her initial breakthrough in Miami, reflecting her steady progression up the world rankings over the past 12 months.
Eala’s entry into the US Open main draw follows her career-best fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon earlier this summer, marking her continued presence in major tournament draws as a top-20 player.
