Alex Eala is now 0‑3 against good friend Iva Jovic. This after the Filipina ace dropped a heartbreaking 5‑7, 6‑3, 5‑7 loss to the American in the third round of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday morning.
It was a disappointing end to Eala’s US Open campaign, and yet the 21‑year‑old refuses to dwell on the heartbreak. Instead, she is preferring to take away only the positives from her latest defeat. Of note, Eala is proud of what she believes is her growth as a player from the last time she lost to Jovic back in June—a 6‑2, 6‑2 loss at the 2026 HSBC Championships.
“I do think that I’ve grown as a player since the last time that we played each other. I was able to kind of set myself up for some opportunities, which was great…” Eala told reporters after her US Open exit. “I think I’m happy with the match. I think in general, of course, there is disappointment in losing, but [just] trying to see the positive side. I think it was a really good match. I think the level was really high. So yeah, congrats to Iva for pushing.”
It was a good match, all right, so much so that one of the sport’s all‑time greats, Monica Seles, lauded its intensity and described it as fire on Instagram. “I wish it was a 3 out of a 5 set match,” she wrote, “as I didn’t want it to end.”
Did Alex Eala Really Grow as a Player?
The answer is an obvious yes. Ever since that loss at the HSBC Championships, Alex Eala has played some of the best tennis of her young career. Among other things, she won her first WTA‑level title at the Mubadala DC Open, reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, and broke into the top 20 in world rankings.
And, on Sunday, she showed she can match her good friend point for point. In Eala’s previous two losses to the American, she never won a set, dropping both matches via sweeps. But, in their third encounter, the Filipina star didn’t just win a set; she actually had Jovic on the ropes, leading the third and final set, 4‑2, before crumbling in the end.
So, yes, Alex Eala is right to look at the glass as half‑full even on the heels of a heartbreaking loss. After all, she has definitely grown as a player and has closed the gap between her and Jovic in the process.
Now, it’s on to the next.
