Tennis prodigy Eala advances at Flushing Meadows in a Grand Slam first for the Philippines

NEW YORK: Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates her match point against Clara Tauson of Denmark during their Women's Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2025 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 24, 2025, in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Sarah Stier / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

NEW YORK (Reuters): Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino player to win a main draw match at a Grand Slam in the professional era, as she beat 14th seed Clara Tauson in an opening round upset at the US Open on Sunday.

Eala burst into tears amid raucous support from the Grandstand crowd as she produced a stunning comeback from 5-1 down in the third set to beat the Dane 6-3, 2-,6 7-6 (11), after Tauson had twice served for the match.