Alex Eala’s 2026 US Open campaign came to a heartbreaking end as she fell to close friend and American No. 14 seed Iva Jovic, 5‑7, 6‑3, 5‑7, in the third round at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday morning.
Playing on the US Open’s biggest stage for the first time, the 17th‑seeded Filipina battled for three hours and three minutes in front of a packed crowd that largely rallied behind her. Despite eventually falling short, Eala produced her deepest run at Flushing Meadows, surpassing her second‑round finish from last year.
Iva Jovic Takes the Opening Set, Alex Eala Responds
Jovic immediately put Eala under pressure, breaking twice to build a 4‑1 lead. Eala fought back to level at 4‑all, but Jovic broke again in the 11th game and held to love, sealing the set 7‑5 after 62 minutes.
Eala raised her level in the second set, breaking early to go up 3‑1 and later closing out the set 6‑3 with composed shot‑making. It was her first‑ever set won against Jovic, sending the match into a decider.
Jovic Survives Eala’s Final Push
Eala raced to a 2‑0 lead in the third and later held a 4‑2 advantage, but Jovic fought off two break points and turned the tide with three straight games. Eala saved a match point to level at 5‑5, but Jovic held strong and broke in the final game. On match point, Eala’s forehand found the net, giving Jovic the dramatic victory.
“I don’t even know what to say. That felt like a marathon and I felt like I lost my sanity five times over to win that match, but it’s really worth it for this feeling,” Jovic said afterward.
Alex Eala Looks Ahead
The loss extended Jovic’s perfect record against Eala to 3‑0, following wins at the French Open and HSBC Championships earlier this season.
Eala will now take a short break before competing at the WTA 500 Singapore Open from September 21 to 27, followed by representing the Philippines at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi‑Nagoya, Japan later this month.
Despite the painful exit, Alex Eala leaves New York with another milestone: her third‑round appearance could propel her to a career‑best No. 16 in the WTA rankings.
