Phenom hungry for more

MANILA, Philippines — Win or lose, Alex Eala is guaranteed to bring home $154,000 or approximately P8.7 million in cash prize.

But money certainly is not on the table for now as she sets her sights on eking out far more invaluable feats in the second round of the 2025 US Open against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

Eala, 20, drew the 27-year-old Spanish in the Round of 64 today after the latter’s 6-2, 6-1 trashing of qualifier Claire Liu from the United States in their own first-round duel.

Game time is still to be determined along with the court designation in Flushing Meadows but the “ambitious” Eala is definitely raring to go for more and further breakthrough on the heels of a rousing 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) win over world No. 15 Clara Tauson from Denmark.

The unseeded Eala showed nerves of steel in front of an 8,000-strong, pro-Filipino crowd, battling back from a 1-5 deficit in the third set to eliminate the grizzled Tauson, who’s seeded 14th in the 128-player field.

“They weren’t kidding when they said this was the city of dreams. All sights set on the second round,” said Eala, who became the first Filipina in history to win a match in the main draw of any Grand Slam.

“I would say that anything is possible. Dream big. Me as a person, I’m very ambitious although no one from my country who did this before and was successful. I took inspiration from anyone I could, from my family and my brother. It’s just to be ambitious, to dream big and know that you can do it.”

The ambition now is also to become the first Filipino to reach the third round of any Grand Slam tournament ever with a familiar opponent in Bucsa standing in her way.

If she gets past Busca, the ante goes up to $237,000 (roughly P13.2 million) in guaranteed purse. The winner here gets a staggering $5 million.

Eala, the 2022 US Open girls’ singles champion, ranks slightly higher in the singles rankings at No. 75 over No. 95 Bucsa but the Spanish veteran boasts immense expertise in the doubles as world No. 35 with 21 pro titles in her pocket.

Bucsa also won a bronze medal for Spain with partner Sara Sorribes Tormo in the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s doubles to hold an experience advantage over the Filipina rising star.

A scholar graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain as well, Eala, however, beat Bucsa in their first and only encounter so far back in the 2021 W25 Grenoble in France, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8).