A BIG BITE for Alexandra “Alex” Eala at the Big Apple.
Ms. Eala marked a roaring return in the US Open, scoring an emphatic 6-1, 6-2 opener win over home bet Mary Stoiana to roll into the second round on Wednesday at a full house crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Unforgiving was Ms. Eala right out of the gates, needing just 78 minutes to dispatch the American qualifier and prove her stature as the No. 17 seed in the stacked 128-woman field.
Ms. Eala, the highest-ranked Southeast Asian player in history at WTA No. 18 compared to being No. 75 when she made her US Open main draw debut last year, trailed just once in the methodical clinic and arranged a Round 2 duel against No. 46 Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine.
Ms. Oliynykova, who beat Ms. Eala last summer in France’s Strasbourg Open (3-6, 7-5, 6-3), earned a shot at the Filipina juggernaut after an equally easy 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 431 Reese Brantmeier of the United States.
It’s the second straight second-round stint for Ms. Eala in the US Open after stunning then-world No. 15 Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11), to become the first Filipina match winner in any Grand Slam main draw.
The 21-year-old Filipina also scored her ninth hardcourt win in the past 11 matches since winning her first WTA Tour title in Washington, underscoring her readiness to ride on an all-time high momentum and surpass a previous Grand Slam-best — a Round of 16 finish in Wimbledon last month.
“I’m very happy with my level today,” said Ms. Eala, who returned to the fold with the highest ranking and Grand Slam seeding of her blooming career just yet.
“It’s never easy, especially in the first round of a tournament — of the US Open nonetheless — and I think Mary has been having some good weeks. So yeah, I’m super happy.”
Ms. Eala was on target right off the bat, holding her every attack with a 77% first-serve conversion. Trailing just once at 1-2 in the second set, Ms. Eala also converted four breakpoints in an absolute masterclass against a lower-ranked qualifier Ms. Stoiana at WTA No. 122.
Up against a former US NCAA MVP and National Player of the Year who scored three wins in the qualifying round to gain her first-ever Slam main draw ticket, Ms. Eala was still head and shoulders above by cruising to a 5-0 lead in the opener marked by three near-love games.
The second set proved as a more competitive duel in every game with Ms. Stoiana even snatching a rare lead but Ms. Eala, who has beaten seven Top 10 players upon marching into the Big Apple this season, iced it for good with a 4-0 finishing kick.
And like almost every time, every city — Ms. Eala has the rousing, flag-waving Filipino crowd to thank for once again after they filled the 14,000 seater up to the rafters that provided another extra fuel for her.
“It’s an amazing time for me to look ahead and see my whole career ahead of me and see the people that I go through it with and share the blessings with them. So, I’m really, really grateful to be here. I’m at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, guys. I’m so happy,” Ms. Eala beamed.
“The support I’ve been getting the past couple of days here in New York and honestly, and to be frank, everywhere around the world, maraming salamat mga kababayan. Thank you everybody for being part of my journey and making it such a pleasure to do my job.”
With a chunk of supporters behind, it was a big bite for Ms. Eala in the season’s final Grand Slam and she’s still hungry for more. — John Bryan Ulanday