Alexandra Eala’s much-anticipated US Open campaign is about to begin, and she recently warmed up with a Fan Week exhibition match against her close friend and World No. 14 Iva Jovic. But before the tournament even started, a funny off-court moment involving her father grabbed attention, as a fan’s unexpected proposal on the sidelines quickly went viral.
Alexandra Eala’s Dad Mike Saves the Day After Fan’s Surprise Proposal at US Open Goes Viral
During a visit to a Nike store near the US Open, a tennis fan and content creator got down on one knee and jokingly “proposed” to Eala with a candy Ring Pop. Eala laughed but quickly called her dad, Mike Eala, for backup. Mike stepped in with a smile and jokingly crossed his arms as Alex leaned on his shoulder. He then shook the fan’s hand, while Alex signed the content creator’s shirt.
This guy proposed to Alex and it was promptly handled by her dad Mike 😭 pic.twitter.com/Ne9tlniTHt
— marvièn (@mvn_dn) August 27, 2026
This wasn’t the only fun moment involving tennis dads this week. During the ‘Stars of the Open’ exhibition, Eala and Jovic played a one-set singles match. When Jovic took a 5-3 lead, their fathers joined them on court for a short father-daughter mixed doubles match, entertaining the packed crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American won the match 6-3.
Mike Eala is a business executive and has been a constant source of support for Alex throughout her career. Eala has often credited her parents for the sacrifices they made to support her career, including during her training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. After beating Elena Rybakina in Berlin, Eala also revealed that her dad was the first person she called.
Eala also spent some time off the court with Coco Gauff at a pre-tournament dinner hosted by business mogul David Grutman. Serena Williams, Taylor Fritz, Aryna Sabalenka, and her fiancé Giorgios Frangulis, Mirra Andreeva, Chris Eubanks, Eva Lys, Matteo Berrettini, and Tommy Paul’s wife, Paige Paul, were also among the guests.
The 21-year-old will begin her US Open campaign against a qualifier, while Jovic will face Magdalena Fręch in the first round. Interestingly, if both players reach the third round, they could meet again. Jovic currently leads their head-to-head record 2-0.
Eala’s rise this year has been impressive. She recently broke into the Top 20 and won the biggest title of her career at the Mubadala DC Open, a WTA 500 event. She has also recorded several big wins over Top-10 players this season, including Iga Świątek, Naomi Osaka, Jessica Pegula, and Rybakina.
The US Open main draw begins on August 30.
