MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala opened her US Open 2026 campaign in dominant fashion, sweeping American qualifier Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, to advance to the second round on Wednesday.
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| Photo courtesy: Facebook / US Open Tennis Championships |
The 21-year-old Filipina, seeded No. 17 and ranked World No. 18, needed just 78 minutes to dispatch the 23-year-old Stoiana in a commanding performance at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York.
Eala immediately asserted control from the baseline, breaking Stoiana twice in the opening set and racing to a 5-0 lead before the American finally got on the scoreboard.
Stoiana briefly found her footing in the second set, taking a 2-1 lead, but Eala quickly responded by winning four consecutive games to seize a 5-2 advantage.
The Filipina then closed out the match with another break, completing a convincing straight-set victory in her US Open main-draw campaign.
Eala converted four of eight break-point opportunities and won 78% of her first-serve points, underlining her efficiency throughout the match.
“Of course it was very difficult,” Eala said, acknowledging that Stoiana put her in uncomfortable positions, particularly early in the second set.
She also praised Stoiana for successfully navigating qualifying to reach the main draw.
Eala will next face Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round after the World No. 46 defeated American Reese Brantmeier, 6-4, 6-4.
With the emphatic opening-round win, Eala moves one step closer to another deep Grand Slam run as she continues her impressive rise on the hard courts.
— The Summit Express
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