Alex Eala mounts comeback in decider vs. Clara Tauson for historic US Open win

At 1-5 down in the deciding set, Alex Eala swung as if the weight of a nation was behind her, each fearless strike tracing the silhouette of the Philippine flag.

The 20-year-old Filipina rallied from the brink of defeat, saving five match points to topple world No. 14 Clara Tauson, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11), and clinch her maiden Grand Slam main-draw victory in the first round of the US Open, August 25.

Eala’s win made her the first Filipina ever to reach the second round of the US Open women’s singles.

“It was so, so difficult,” Eala admitted after the two-hour, 48-minute thriller. 

Eala also said the victory demanded every ounce of her mental and physical strength, adding that she felt overjoyed with the result and grateful for the overwhelming support of the Filipino crowd.

From the get-go, Tauson looked firmly in control. She held serve with powerful deliveries to open 1-0, then survived four break points in a tense third game to edge ahead, 2-1. 

Eala, however, quickly found her rhythm, unleashing her trademark groundstrokes to hold for 2-all before breaking through in the fifth game. With superb returns and aggressive baseline hitting, she built a 4-2 cushion and never looked back, sealing the opening set, 6-3. 

The second set swung the other way as Tauson dominated, dictating the rallies with sharper baseline play and stronger serving, she broke early and pulled away for a 6-2 win to force a decider.

In the third, the Danish star appeared ready to close it out, racing to a 5-1 lead behind booming serves. 

But Eala refused to fold. 

Fueled by the thunderous cheers of the Filipino crowd, Eala clawed her way back to 5-all before steadying her serve to seize a 6-5 edge. 

Tauson answered to push the set into a tiebreak, but the Filipina held her nerve, converting on her fifth match point to prevail with Tauson’s shot sailing wide, 13-11, igniting a deafening celebration inside the Grandstand.

Despite being outgunned on serve, Tauson blasted 12 aces while Eala finished without one. The Filipina’s consistency from the baseline and ability to extend rallies turned the tide in her favor.

Steeled by years of grinding on the pro tour and buoyed by chants of “Let’s go Alex!” from the Filipino fans waving flags in the stands, she flipped the script and turned the Grandstand into a home court.

Eala now awaits a second-round duel on August 27 (Philippine time) against either Spain’s Cristina Bucsa or the USA’s Claire Liu. 

Whatever comes next, the young Filipina has already etched her name into the record books,  proving she belongs among the brightest lights of Flushing Meadows.

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