NEW York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson crossed paths with Filipina tennis star Alexandra Eala prior to the start of 2026 US Open in New York City next week.
The meeting between the two Filipino sports stars was captured in a video shared by the US Open on social media, showing Clarkson and Eala exchanging a warm embrace during their encounter.
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The brief meeting quickly drew attention from Filipino tennis and basketball fans online, with several social media users celebrating the moment involving two prominent athletes with ties to the Philippines.
Eala is in New York for her US Open campaign after earning the No. 17 seeding in the women’s singles tournament. She is coming off a breakthrough season that saw her climb to a career-best No. 18 in the WTA rankings, the highest singles ranking ever achieved by a Filipino player.
Clarkson, meanwhile, is in New York as the Knicks prepare to defend the NBA championship in the upcoming season.
The unexpected meeting gave Filipino fans a notable crossover moment between tennis and basketball at one of the biggest sporting events in the United States. (Adrian Co)
