NEW YORK — Philippine tennis sensation Alex Eala is set for another major moment on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
The Filipino star will face American qualifier Mary Stoiana in the first round of the 2026 US Open women’s singles tournament, with Eala entering Flushing Meadows as one of the rising names to watch—and carrying the weight of another possible chapter in Philippine tennis history.
Eala, currently ranked inside the world’s Top 20 and among the tournament’s seeded players, will take on the 23-year-old Stoiana, who earned her place in the main draw by surviving three rounds of qualifying. The match is scheduled for Monday, Philippine time, although the official order of play and exact match time remain subject to confirmation.
A Familiar Opponent—and a Familiar Advantage
This will not be the first meeting between Eala and Stoiana.
The Filipina defeated the former American collegiate standout during an ITF tournament in Pennsylvania in 2024, giving Eala a previous victory over her opening-round opponent. But Stoiana arrives in New York with momentum after battling through qualifying, where she defeated Harmony Tan, Katie Swan, and Yue Yuan to earn her maiden US Open main-draw appearance.
That makes the American far from an opponent Eala can afford to overlook.
Stoiana previously starred for Texas A&M University and established herself as one of the top players in U.S. college tennis before continuing her transition to the professional tour. Playing in front of a home crowd and fresh off three wins in qualifying, she could present a different challenge from the player Eala faced two years ago.
Still, on paper, Eala enters as the favorite—and for good reason.
From History-Maker to Legitimate Contender
The US Open holds special significance for Eala.
In 2022, she captured the US Open girls’ singles title, becoming the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles championship. Three years later, she made another breakthrough at Flushing Meadows when she became the first Filipino player in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam main-draw match, rallying from a daunting deficit to defeat Clara Tauson in the opening round.
Now, the stakes—and expectations—are even higher.
The official US Open has highlighted Eala as one of the players to watch after a remarkable rise over the past year. Her journey has taken her from outside the elite ranks into the Top 20, while recent success has turned her into one of the most closely followed athletes in Philippine sports.
Confidence Is Growing at the Right Time
Eala enters the year’s final Grand Slam with a growing reputation as a player capable of troubling the sport’s biggest names.
Her recent season has included a breakthrough WTA title in Washington, D.C., where she defeated several high-profile opponents on her way to the championship. Her rapid ascent has also caught international attention, with tennis observers pointing to both her growing fan base and her ability to compete with the world’s best.
Ahead of the tournament, Eala spoke about the confidence she has developed throughout her journey, describing a strong foundation of belief in what she is capable of achieving.
That belief could be crucial in New York, where the pressure of expectations is now very different from when she first arrived as an emerging prospect.
The First Test of a Bigger Dream
A victory over Stoiana would send Eala into the second round and keep alive hopes of her deepest US Open campaign yet.
But first, she must get past a hungry home-court qualifier with nothing to lose.
For Stoiana, the match represents a dream main-draw debut against one of the tournament’s rising stars. For Eala, it is the first step in a much bigger mission.
She has already made history in New York. She has already shown she belongs among the world’s best.
Now comes the question Filipino tennis fans have been waiting to see answered: Can Alex Eala turn her remarkable rise into another unforgettable Grand Slam run?
The first chapter begins against a familiar opponent—but the ending could be something Philippine tennis has never seen before.
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