Alexandra Eala’s run at the 2025 US Open came to a premature close on Wednesday (27 August), as the talented 20-year-old suffered a straight sets defeat 4-6, 3-6 at the hands of Spanish tennis player Cristina Bucsa.
The match – lasting one hour and 22 minutes – proved to be an enthralling and enlightening affair, as both players grappled over a single ticket to the third round.
As the partisan crowd threw their weight behind her, Eala stormed out to a 2-1 lead early in the first set. However, try as she might, the young Filipina soon found herself on the back foot against Busca, who slowly and surely gained the upper hand when it mattered most.
Despite her best efforts, Eala watched as the first set slipped from her grasp, with the Spanish player – ranked 95th in the world – completing pivotal plays to lock up decisive wins in ninth and tenth games.
And while the second set brought a renewed sense of hope for the Filipina rising star, she could only watch as the errors began to stack up and the balls began to fall in Busca’s favour, with the scoreline turning from concerning to insurmountable in a matter of minutes.
Defeated, but not dejected, Eala refused to go down with a fight, challenging for each and every point until the match concluded, with the final shot going in Busca’s favour.
As disappointing as the loss may be for Eala, she leaves Flushing Meadows with history in tow, after becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam match in the Open era, defeating 14th seed Clara Tauson in the first round on Sunday (25 August).