Alex Eala exits US Open after falling to Cristina Bucșa in round 2
Alex Eala has ended her US Open run after Spain's Catrina Bucșa pulled off an upset to secure the win.
The Filipina tennis phenom, the world no. 75, held her head high after her grueling second-round match against Bucșa, the world no. 95, in Flushing Meadows in New York City on Aug. 28 (Philippine time).
The Spanish player won both sets, 6-4, 6-3. Eala made 21 unforced errors in the bout against Bucşa's 12. Their match ended with an embrace between the opponents.
Bucşa will go on to meet either 19th-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium or New Zealand’s rising star Lulu Sun in the third round.
Despite her round 2 exit, Eala still made history as the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match after her first-round upset of Danish 14th seed Clara Tauson.
The 20-year-old quickly rose to fame after finishing in the semifinals during the Miami Open, historically beating three Grand Slam winners in Jenna Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek.
In June, Eala became the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour final after beating fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva on the Eastbourne grass. Her historic bid would be ended by Australian teenager Maya Joint, who clinched the WTA Tour title.
Meanwhile, in July, the Filipina made her first Wimbledon appearance but was defeated by 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Eala is no stranger to the Flushing Meadows, as she won a junior Grand Slam singles title in 2022.
