ALEXANDRA Eala marched into the second round of the US Open after beating American qualifier Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York on Wednesday morning, Sept. 2, 2026 (PH time).
The 17th-seeded Filipina won the final five games in the second set to wrap up the match.
Eala will try to reach the second round on Thursday when she plays against Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova, who scored a 6-4, 6-4 victory over American Reese Brantmeier.
Oliynykova and Eala first met at the Strasbourg Open last May 18, with the Ukrainian prevailing, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, in the Round of 32.
Eala debuted at the 2025 US Open, beating Danish Carla Tauson, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, in the first round before bowing to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, 4-6, 3-6.
In August, Eala won the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open, her second singles title after also capturing the Guadalajara 125 Open in Zapopan, Mexico, last year.
The reigning Southeast Asian Games champion will see action in the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.
Gauff overcomes Sonmez
Coco Gauff opened her bid for a second US Open title with a straight-set victory, while Flavio Cobolli and Maria Sakkari pulled off dramatic comebacks.
The fourth-seeded Gauff defeated Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the second round.
In the men’s draw, fifth-seeded Cobolli rallied from two sets down to defeat Francisco Comesana, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, in a match that lasted four hours and 12 minutes.
Cobolli’s first career comeback from two sets down helped him avoid an early exit in a men’s field that had already seen several surprises.
According to the Associated Press (AP), he took a bathroom break after the second set and changed his entire outfit before mounting his comeback.
Sakkari also staged a remarkable rally after falling behind 6-2, 4-0 to Robin Montgomery. The 32nd seed recovered to win, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Andreeva, Fritz cruise
French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and 2024 US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz had easier paths to the next round. Andreeva beat Janice Tjen, 6-2, 6-2, while ninth-seeded Fritz defeated fellow American Darwin Blanch, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Rain continued to disrupt the tournament, delaying play on the outer courts and restricting action at times to Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium, both of which have retractable roofs.
The weather delays meant some first-round matches were pushed back to Thursday, the AP reported.
Madison Keys, the 22nd seed, defeated 19-year-old Alina Korneeva, 7-5, 6-4, in the opening match at Ashe Stadium.
Once play resumed outdoors, second-seeded Elena Rybakina beat 17-year-old American Thea Frodin, 6-3, 6-2.
Meanwhile, 12th-seeded Belinda Bencic, who teamed with Cobolli to reach the mixed doubles final, was beaten by Yulia Putintseva in three sets. / LBG WITH PNA
