Alex Eala turned in another vintage performance on the Grand Slam stage, dismantling American qualifier Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, to power into the second round of the US Open.
The 17th-seeded Filipina imposed her will from the opening exchanges, using aggressive baseline play, relentless court coverage and remarkable composure to rattle Stoiana. Eala quickly raced to a 5-0 lead in the opening set before closing it out, 6-1.
Stoiana, a former Texas A&M standout, refused to go quietly. She briefly threatened to turn the tide in the second set, taking a 2-1 lead behind a barrage of forehand winners. But Eala’s nerves of steel once again came to the fore.
The 21-year-old Filipina answered by winning the next five games, repeatedly breaking down Stoiana’s resistance and closing out the match in commanding fashion.
Eala’s ability to absorb pressure proved crucial. She faced six break points throughout the match but saved every one of them, refusing to surrender her serve.
The victory sends Eala into the US Open second round for the second consecutive year and further underlines her rapid rise among the world’s elite. She entered the tournament ranked No. 18 in the world and seeded No. 17.
She now faces Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova in the next round, giving Eala a chance to avenge her earlier defeat to the Ukrainian in Strasbourg.
For Eala, the message from Flushing Meadows is unmistakable: she is not merely participating in the US Open—she is coming to make a deep run.