Alexandra Eala is preparing for her US Open third-round debut after cruising through her opening two matches at the 2026 tournament. The Filipina has quickly emerged as one of tennis’ biggest attractions, making history for her country while captivating fans with a string of impressive performances.
Her surging popularity has brought a new wave of fans to the sport, with smaller courts increasingly struggling to accommodate her growing following at tournaments around the world. The US Open has handled the situation tactfully, assigning the 21-year-old to its second-biggest show court, behind Arthur Ashe Stadium, for her opening two matches.
Alexandra Eala Offers a Measured Response After Being Quizzed About US Open Court Assignment
Eala opened her campaign in New York against American Mary Stoiana in the final night-session match on Tuesday, September 1, at the 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium. The 17th seed made quick work of her opponent, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
The schedule also featured two-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 2 Elena Rybakina, who was assigned to the third-largest court, the 8,125-seat Grandstand. Unlike the two main show courts, however, the Grandstand does not have a retractable roof, leaving matches more vulnerable to rain interruptions.
On Thursday, meanwhile, Eala faced Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova in the day session at Louis Armstrong Stadium, before Rybakina took to the same court for the night session. However, six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Świątek was assigned to the Grandstand, while fellow major champions Madison Keys and Mirra Andreeva were scheduled to play on Court 17.
The decision sparked outrage among tennis fans, with some arguing that 2022 US Open champion Iga Świątek deserved one of the tournament’s top two show courts. Eala was made aware of the brewing controversy during her post-match press conference, when a reporter told her that some fans believed she was receiving “special treatment.”
Eala responded by noting that the scheduling of her matches was beyond her control and that she is prepared to play on whichever court she is assigned. “I’m grateful to be on Armstrong and to play on such an incredible court. But yeah, I don’t control the scheduling. My job is to be prepared for whatever court they put me in and whoever I’m against.”
It is worth noting that at last year’s event, Eala, who fell in the second round, was scheduled to play Cristina Bucșa on Court 7. She attracted a massive crowd, resulting in a packed stadium and long queues outside as fans waited to get in. A similar situation drew criticism at this year’s Australian Open, when the 21-year-old was assigned to Court 6, which has a capacity of fewer than 1,500 spectators.
For her third-round match at the 2026 US Open on Saturday, Eala is likely to enjoy another appearance on one of the tournament’s main show courts when she takes on rising American star and close friend Iva Jovic.
