NEW YORK — Friendship will be put aside when Filipino tennis star Alex Eala steps onto the biggest stage in tennis against one of her closest friends.
Eala is set to face American rising star Iva Jovic in a highly anticipated third-round showdown at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 5, with a place in the US Open Round of 16 on the line. The match is scheduled for the night session, with the action listed for no earlier than 7 p.m. New York time, or 7 a.m. Sunday in the Philippines.
The matchup has an unusual twist: Eala and Jovic are close friends, have played doubles together and even shared the Arthur Ashe court during the US Open’s “Stars of the Open” exhibition before the main tournament began. Now, however, their friendship will have to wait.
“Fair game” is how Jovic described the relationship between friends once they step onto the court. The US Open also highlighted how their friendship developed after they first met in 2022.
Eala arrives in New York with momentum
Eala, ranked No. 18 in the world and seeded No. 17, stormed into the third round without dropping a set.
The 21-year-old Filipina opened her campaign with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over American qualifier Mary Stoiana before defeating Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4 in the second round.
Her victory over Oliynykova was particularly significant because Eala had previously lost to the Ukrainian in Strasbourg earlier this season.
Reuters noted that Eala’s patience and improved baseline play were crucial in the victory, as she handled a more competitive second set before closing out the match in just over an hour.
The run continues what has already been a breakthrough season for the Filipino star.
Eala captured her first WTA singles title in Washington, D.C., and later reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, where she stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek. She now has another opportunity to make history in New York.
But Jovic owns a 2-0 advantage
Standing in Eala’s way is an opponent who has already figured out how to beat her.
Jovic, currently ranked and seeded No. 14, reached the third round after defeating Great Britain’s Francesca Jones 6-4, 6-4. Like Eala, Jovic has yet to drop a set at this year’s US Open.
More importantly, the American teenager has won both of their previous official senior singles meetings.
Jovic defeated Eala 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the French Open before beating her again 6-2, 6-2 at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in June.
That gives Jovic a 2-0 head-to-head advantage heading into their third-round showdown.
But Saturday’s contest comes with a major difference.
It will be their first official senior-tour meeting on a hard court.
And hard courts have produced some of Eala’s biggest breakthroughs.
From friends to fierce rivals
The two young stars have developed a close friendship during their rapid rise on the WTA Tour.
Eala and Jovic first met in 2022, the same year Eala won the US Open girls’ singles championship. Their friendship grew stronger through life on tour and after playing doubles together.
The pair also shared the spotlight during Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where they teamed up with their fathers for an exhibition match.
That makes Saturday’s encounter even more compelling.
The two players know each other’s games, personalities and tendencies. But once the match begins, there will be no room for sentiment.
Eala herself has acknowledged Jovic’s quality, describing her as an exceptional young player who is talented, intelligent and accomplished.
One match could change everything
For Eala, the stakes are enormous.
A victory would give her a first US Open fourth-round appearance and put her into the final 16 at Flushing Meadows.
It would also give her a chance to erase the biggest blemish in her rivalry with Jovic: that 0-2 official record.
For Jovic, meanwhile, the match represents her deepest US Open run yet at her home Grand Slam. The 18-year-old Californian has already enjoyed a remarkable rise, including a quarterfinal appearance at the 2026 Australian Open.
So while the story may begin with friendship, the mathematics are brutally simple:
One advances. One goes home.
And for Eala, the question that has followed her into New York is now impossible to avoid:
Can she finally solve Iva Jovic on the biggest stage of them all?
The answer will come under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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