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Alexandra Eala's US Open Journey Ends In Second Round After Historic Debut
Photo credit: Alex Eala Instagram
After an unforgettable opening-round triumph that had fans on their feet, Alexandra Eala’s run at the US Open came to an end on Thursday. The 20-year-old Filipina, fresh off a dramatic upset over 14th seed Clara Tauson, fell to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, 6-4, 6-3, in the second round.
Just two days earlier, Eala stunned Flushing Meadows by pulling off a comeback for the ages. Down 5-1 in the third set and staring at defeat, she clawed her way back to win a nail-biting 13-11 tiebreak against Tauson. That victory marked a historic milestone: Eala became the first Filipina ever to compete in the singles main draw at the US Open, and her fight captured the hearts of the New York crowd.
But against the 27-year-old Bucsa, the magic ran out. The Spaniard, ranked World No. 95, kept her composure and executed when it mattered most. Bucsa converted six of eight break-point chances—compared to just three of nine for Eala—and outperformed her on first-serve consistency (71.9% to 66.1%). She even fired the only three aces of the match.
Despite the crowd’s unwavering support, Eala couldn’t find the same spark that carried her through her first-round heroics. Bucsa, meanwhile, stayed steady from start to finish, never letting the Filipina mount a serious rally.
The victory is a big moment for Bucsa, who advances to the third round of the US Open for the first time in her career. She came into the season’s final Grand Slam with a losing singles record, but she’s finding her groove at the right time. After an impressive opening win over Claire Liu—where she earned a staggering 19 break points—she’s now matched her best Grand Slam performance, having previously reached the third round at both the Australian Open (2023) and Wimbledon this summer.
For Eala, the loss is a tough pill to swallow, especially after a breakthrough semifinal showing in Miami earlier this year. But there’s reason for optimism: she’s regaining form after withdrawing from tournaments in Cincinnati and Monterrey with a shoulder injury. Fans won’t have to wait long to see her back in action—she’s scheduled to compete in Sao Paulo next month.
As for Bucsa, the road gets steeper. She’ll next face either 19th seed Elise Mertens or rising star Lulu Sun for a spot in the fourth round.
Just two days earlier, Eala stunned Flushing Meadows by pulling off a comeback for the ages. Down 5-1 in the third set and staring at defeat, she clawed her way back to win a nail-biting 13-11 tiebreak against Tauson. That victory marked a historic milestone: Eala became the first Filipina ever to compete in the singles main draw at the US Open, and her fight captured the hearts of the New York crowd.
But against the 27-year-old Bucsa, the magic ran out. The Spaniard, ranked World No. 95, kept her composure and executed when it mattered most. Bucsa converted six of eight break-point chances—compared to just three of nine for Eala—and outperformed her on first-serve consistency (71.9% to 66.1%). She even fired the only three aces of the match.
Despite the crowd’s unwavering support, Eala couldn’t find the same spark that carried her through her first-round heroics. Bucsa, meanwhile, stayed steady from start to finish, never letting the Filipina mount a serious rally.
The victory is a big moment for Bucsa, who advances to the third round of the US Open for the first time in her career. She came into the season’s final Grand Slam with a losing singles record, but she’s finding her groove at the right time. After an impressive opening win over Claire Liu—where she earned a staggering 19 break points—she’s now matched her best Grand Slam performance, having previously reached the third round at both the Australian Open (2023) and Wimbledon this summer.
For Eala, the loss is a tough pill to swallow, especially after a breakthrough semifinal showing in Miami earlier this year. But there’s reason for optimism: she’s regaining form after withdrawing from tournaments in Cincinnati and Monterrey with a shoulder injury. Fans won’t have to wait long to see her back in action—she’s scheduled to compete in Sao Paulo next month.
As for Bucsa, the road gets steeper. She’ll next face either 19th seed Elise Mertens or rising star Lulu Sun for a spot in the fourth round.
Aug 28, 2025
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