MANILA — Alexandra Eala got a taste of the Arthur Ashe Stadium spotlight ahead of her US Open campaign, testing herself against fellow rising star Iva Jovic despite absorbing a 6-3 defeat in the “Stars of the Open” exhibition on Thursday night (Friday in the Philippines).
The one-set encounter gave the 17th-seeded Filipina valuable court time in front of a packed crowd at the US Open’s main stadium before she shifts her attention to the women’s singles competition.
Jovic, the tournament’s No. 14 seed, seized control early by taking the opening two games before Eala settled into the match.
The Filipina responded to make the contest more competitive, with the two young stars trading games until Jovic broke away for a 5-3 advantage and eventually closed out the exhibition.
Despite the loss, Eala relished the opportunity to compete in the electric atmosphere of Arthur Ashe Stadium and treated the match as valuable preparation for the season’s final Grand Slam.
“It’s been amazing. The stadium is packed, so electric,” Eala said during a mid-match interview.
She added that facing a strong opponent in such an atmosphere gave her an opportunity to work on maintaining her focus while still enjoying the occasion.
The exhibition was part of the US Open’s “Stars of the Open,” which featured rising players from the ATP and WTA tours, with proceeds benefiting the USTA Foundation.
The match also featured several lighthearted moments. A young player from the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program joined Eala and Jovic on court after the third game, while the players’ fathers later participated in the action.
Eala and Jovic are familiar with each other both on and off the court, having already met in competitive matches this season. Their friendship was also highlighted during the US Open through a social media appearance in which they sampled Filipino snacks together.
With the exhibition behind them, both players will now turn their attention to the US Open women’s singles draw.
Eala enters the Grand Slam as the No. 17 seed, the highest seeding of her career, while Jovic is seeded No. 14./PN
