“Sometimes I forget that I’m also a little famous”: Alex Eala rewrites the tennis star at the US Open 2026

Alexander Eal (AP Photo) NEW YORK CITY: As soon as Alexandra Eala wrapped up her second-round match at Louis Armstrong Stadium, a flurry of activity erupted in the back deck of the packed arena. Feet shuffled, voices rose and wails rang out as young fans, mostly little girls in sneakers clutching giant tennis balls, raced down the stairs, desperate to get as close as possible to the Filipina for an autograph.Eala, 21, needed just 64 minutes to beat Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4 to reach the third round of the US Open, her deepest run in New York.Still, at a career high of No. 18 in the world, the highest for a Southeast Asian in WTA history, Eala’s following appears to be growing faster than her resume. The first Filipina to defeat a top-10 opponent, she reached the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament, won a WTA Tour title, and reached the fourth round of a major.While her achievements are path breaking, her popularity is something else entirely.Eala reached the second round in her main draw debut at the US Open last year and showed how much she has grown, both in temperament and tennis, hitting 19 winners and refusing to dance to Oliynyk’s tune, no matter how often the Ukrainian changed pace and spin.Thursday’s result was a sweet revenge for Ealová, who lost to the 25-year-old player four months ago on clay in Strasbourg.The Ukrainian, an orthodox player, prevailed in the second set against the flow of play and the weight of the crowd, but Eala stood firm to close out the win. Fans in the stands filmed the closing stages on their phones, turning into something of a broadcaster as they provided live commentary for the audience at home.On Saturday, in the third round, she will face her good friend Iva Jovic, seeded No. 14.Eala’s fast-growing business portfolio includes global giants and leading Filipino brands, but its real currency may be the crowds it commands. Almost everywhere she goes, Filipino fans show up in force, reshaping the atmosphere around her matches and turning Eala into something tennis rarely produces, a star whose appeal transcends the sport itself.Tournaments cannot ignore her popularity. Some have been criticized for putting the world number 18 on smaller courts with too few seats for her fans, and even her practice sessions at Flushing Meadows have attracted fans willing to line up just to watch her. New York City is home to an estimated 94,000 Filipinos, with more than half living in the borough of Queens, which is also home to the US Open.Eala then returned to the second-largest court at Flushing Meadows for the second time on Thursday, while Grand Slam champions such as six-time major winner and former No. 1 Iga Swiatek, American Madison Keys and reigning Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva played second-round matches on smaller courts.Eala shrugged. “I don’t control the planning,” she said.She doesn’t.Should a player’s popularity affect his standing in the sport or should it be determined by the silverware he has piled up? It creates a lively debate.Tennis is a highly individualistic sport, its biggest stars, read most successful, define the eras in which they play.But the rise of social media in an era of relentless self-expression has changed the equation. A player’s reach, influence and celebrity can now rival their results, which raises the interesting question, is the individual more important than the sport?When asked about her meeting with media personality Ornella Rose Hollela in New York last week, Eala called the interaction “super crazy” and said it all happened too fast.“It’s weird that some of the people I follow a lot know me,” Eala said, adding, “Sometimes I forget I’m famous too.”