Alex Eala bows out of US Open after second-round loss to Bucsa

Alex Eala’s US Open campaign ended in the second round with a 4-6, 4-6 defeat to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa on Thursday morning (Manila time) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

Despite strong support from Filipino fans on Court 7, the 20-year-old Filipina couldn’t build on her dramatic first-round win over world No. 14 Clara Tauson. 

Eala, ranked No. 75, led 4-3 in the opening set but lost momentum after a crucial forehand error, allowing the 95th-ranked Bucsa to take control and save three break points to secure the set.

The second set slipped away after a 2-2 tie, as Eala’s unforced errors and a double fault proved costly. The result evened their head-to-head at 1-1, with Eala’s lone win over Bucsa coming in 2021.

Despite the loss, Eala’s round-of-64 finish marks her best Grand Slam result to date, improving on earlier exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Her breakthrough run to the US Open main draw came after a strong showing at the Miami Open, which propelled her into the WTA Top 100.

Next up, Eala is slated to compete as the third seed at the WTA 250 São Paulo Open in Brazil, starting on September 8.