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A lot can change in a year.
For Alex Eala, the past 12 months have changed almost everything.
When Eala debuted at the US Open last year, aged 20, she arrived in New York with little expectation beyond making an impression. Instead, she made history, rallying past Clara Tauson to become the first player representing the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles main-draw match in the Open Era.
Eala, now 21, returns to Flushing Meadows this year with a different weight on her shoulders.
No longer simply a breakthrough-hungry young player, she is a legitimate contender expected to make noise in New York.
She returns with an additional year of competing against the world’s best players, having played in three more Grand Slam main draws, faced Top 10 opponents and found herself in high-pressure matches against some of the biggest names in tennis.
The difference may be only one year on paper, but the experience has accelerated her development.
“I know also that I wouldn’t be having these experiences if I didn’t do all the work that I did beforehand,” Eala stated during her pre-tournament press conference at the Cincinnati Open.
“I know that I won’t continue to experience it if I don’t continue that work.
“But, yes, it has really helped me develop as a person, and just see things from a different perspective. It allowed me to mature a lot. It taught me a lot of lessons but also given me so much joy.”
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Eala returns to New York with confidence now built on something much more tangible than hope.
She is now a WTA champion.
Eala captured her first WTA Tour singles title at the Mubadala DC Open, her successes in a loaded field including victories over Naomi Osaka in the semifinals and world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in a hard-fought final.
Earlier in the year, she stunned then-world No. 6 Jasmine Paolini in straight sets at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships en route to the quarterfinals.
At Wimbledon, Eala reached the fourth round, including a win against Iga Swiatek, to become the first Filipino in the Open Era to advance that far at a Grand Slam.
Every milestone has seen her profile grow bigger: Eala entered the 2025 US Open ranked No. 75 in the world, still trying to establish herself inside the Top 100; she returns to this year’s tournament as the world No. 18, a career-high ranking following her Washington breakthrough.
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Eala is now positioned alongside established names in the upper tier of the WTA rankings.
Her game has evolved, too.
In 2025, she could lean heavily on her backhand, return game, and forehand aggression. She is now more selective with her forehand, using depth and court position to construct points before choosing the right moment to attack. Her serve has also developed variety and her ability to transition her mindset from defense to offense has become more polished, shaped by a year of arduous battles on tour.
Her physical development has followed the same trajectory, and she has shown she can now withstand long rallies and extended matches — particularly during her Wimbledon run and Washington title campaign.
However, expectations perhaps bring the most psychological impact.
“I’m a competitive athlete, so there’s pressure, but I think the obligation also comes to myself,” Eala stated after defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 7-6 (1) — after trailing 5-1 in the second set — in her Washington title-winning run..
“I’m a very self-demanding person. I’m a very ambitious person, so I’m definitely happy and welcoming to everyone who wants to support me and go along on this journey. But I know that this is my journey first and foremost, and I have the expectations I have on myself.”
In 2025, simply winning a Grand Slam main-draw match was historic; Eala did that to reach the second round.
Such a campaign this time will be viewed as a disappointment.
As a Top 20 player and WTA champion, Eala enters New York with legitimate expectations of making a deep run.
That does not mean she is guaranteed to go far.
If anything, the challenge has become tougher: She now has to prove the level she attained in Washington, Wimbledon and against some of the sport’s biggest names is not a flash in the pan.
The task now is to turn the past year’s breakthroughs into a habit.
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