“There was no one from my country” – Alexandra Eala opens up about finding inspiration in her family after making history for Phillipines at US Open

Alexandra Eala cemented her place in history by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam main-draw singles match at the ongoing US Open on Sunday. Eala dominated over No. 14 seed Clara Tauson in the first set 6-3.

However, the Danish player made a strong comeback in the following set. In the final and deciding set, Tauson earned a lead of 5-1 to secure the victory. However, showing her impressive skills and unwavering determination, the 20-year-old turned the tables and made a memorable comeback to clinch the third set, hence securing her first Grand Slam main-draw win. The World No. 75 defeated Tauson with a decisive 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (11) triumph.

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Following the historic feat, Eala expressed her elation. She also highlighted her ambitious nature and stated that she draws inspiration from her family, including her brother.

"I would say that anything is possible, and you know, to dream big. I think me, as a person I am very ambitious, and although there was no one from my country who did this before or was successful in tennis, you know, I took inspiration from anyone I could. From my family, from my brother. So I think just to be ambitious and to dream big and know that you can do it."

Eala was born to Mike and Rizza Maniego. Her mother Rizza, is a former professional swimmer, who won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games. Her brother Miko is also a tennis prodigy in the family. He represented Penn State from 2020 to 2024.

Alexandra Eala Opens up on her mental approach for the upcoming faceoffs at the US Open

In an interview following her historic win, Alexandra Eala reflected on the match, stating it was special. She further revealed her plan of playing with the same mindset and spirit. She will compete in the second round on August 27.

“I think so many factors made the match so special. I’ve been on the losing side of these tight tiebreaks before, so to be on the winning side, it’s very memorable.”

“The key for my upcoming match is just to come in with the same mentality, same fight,” she added. “Right now I’m just focused on recovering.” (via arabnews.com)

Alexandra Eala rose to fame at the 2022 US Open girls’ championship, where she became the first Filipina player to win a junior Grand Slam singles title.

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About the author

Janhavi Shinde

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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