Metro Manila, Philippines – Filipina tennis star Alex Eala opened her 2026 US Open campaign in dominant fashion, defeating American qualifier Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, to advance to the second round.
The 17th-seeded Eala opened the set with a flawless 5-0 lead.
Although she faced more resistance in the second set, falling behind 1-2, Eala managed to snag the next five games to close out the match in straight sets.
The victory marks Eala’s 39th win this year and her ninth victory in her last 11 matches.
In a post-match interview, Eala reflected on her US Open journey since winning the 2022 US Open girls’ singles title.
“It’s an amazing time for me to reflect on the past four years but it’s also an amazing time for me to look ahead and see my whole career ahead of me,” she said.
Eala will next face Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round.
