ALEXANDRA “Alex” Eala will begin her US Open women’s singles campaign against a familiar opponent, with the Filipina star facing American qualifier Mary Stoiana in the opening round on Wednesday, Philippine time.
Eala enters the tournament as the No. 17 seed, her highest Grand Slam seeding yet, while Stoiana comes in ranked No. 122 after fighting through three rounds of qualifying to reach her first-ever major main draw.
The matchup gives Eala another chance to advance at a tournament where she has already made history, but it also comes with the advantage of having previously beaten her opponent.
The two met in 2024 at the W100 Landisville in Pennsylvania, where Eala won, 7-5, 6-2.
That victory came before both players reached their current level, making their US Open meeting a rematch between two athletes who have taken very different paths over the past two years.
Stoiana has since emerged as one of the standout products of American college tennis. The former Texas A&M star helped the Aggies capture their first NCAA women’s team championship and was named the NCAA tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Now ranked 122nd in the world, Stoiana earned her place in the US Open main draw by defeating Yuan Yue, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, in the final round of qualifying.
Eala, meanwhile, is entering the tournament off a breakthrough season that has seen her climb into the world’s top 20, win her first WTA singles title and reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.
The Filipina is also carrying strong US Open memories. She won the girls’ singles title in New York in 2022 and reached the second round of the women’s singles tournament last year.
Their first-round match is scheduled for September 2 at around 8:40 a.m. Philippine time at Louis Armstrong Stadium, although the start could be pushed back depending on the preceding match.
For Eala, the goal is clear: use her previous win over Stoiana as a reference, but not a guarantee. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
