Alex Eala concluded her 2026 US Open run in New York following a third-round singles loss to close friend Iva Jovic.
Alexandra Alex
Eala wrapped up her campaign at Flushing Meadows after a grueling three-set battle in the third round against America’s Iva Jovic, falling 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 on the tournament courts. The loss came just days after she also fell to the same opponent in an exhibition match by a score of 6-3, according to reporting from the GMA Network.
Third-Round Exit at Flushing Meadows
The defeat brought an end to a memorable New York run for Eala, who drew large crowds of vocal supporters from the local Filipino community in Queens. The large Filipino community in Queens, New York, that lives near the US Open venue in Flushing Meadows kept shelling out big bucks to catch Eala in the flesh—even if she was just doing practice sets. While the result stopped short of a deeper tournament advance, the overall experience underscored her continued development on the WTA Tour.
Jovic, an 18-year-old rising star, entered the tournament holding a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Eala from previous meetings earlier in the year—specifically in the first round at Roland Garros and the round of 16 at Queen’s Club in London. Speaking about the competitive history between the two close friends, Eala noted the mental challenges of facing familiar rivals.
I’ve encountered my fair share of challenges against her this year. But yeah, I mean it’s not under my control who I play, and all I can do is, you know, give my best and try to do everything that I can to win.
Prize Money, Ranking Points, and WTA Earnings
Even with the singles exit, Eala added valuable metrics to her professional profile. By reaching the third round, the 21-year-old secured 130 ranking points to bolster her standing in upcoming computer rankings. She also collected $290,000 in prize money, according to the WTA website.
That payout builds upon her existing career earnings, which stood at $1,682,305 prior to the start of the Grand Slam event. Jovic herself arrived in New York at a career-high ranking of 14 in the world following a breakthrough season that included her maiden WTA title at Guadalajara last year at the age of 17 and a quarterfinal run at the Australian Open this year. Jovic is looking to surpass her best career Grand Slam showing.
Process Over Targets for the Rising Star
Rather than focusing on rigid year-end goals, Eala has consistently said she doesn’t set hard year-end targets at this point, preferring to measure how she has improved from tournament to tournament. That philosophy shapes how she views her recent matches against elite competition, including her earlier victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon and her title run in Washington, where she went through a very tough draw to win her first WTA title.
I think experience is definitely helpful. I do feel like a more well-rounded player now and more mature. I guess with time comes maturity and becoming more intelligent.
Eala also stated, I think I just have more knowledge with the experience in terms of tennis and competing at the very high level and knowledge of what I’m capable of and much more belief in myself.
Eala has learned to manage her emotions and mental approach to games that involve her close friends.
Looking ahead, Eala is scheduled to return to competition at the Singapore Tennis Open later this month before heading to the Asian Games.
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