NEW YORK (AP) — More than 8,000 fans packed the Grandstand at the U.S. Open last year to witness Alex Eala rally from down 5-1 in the third set to upset 14th-ranked Clara Tauson. The crowd went crazy, waving Filipino flags to celebrate the comeback.Eala is now up to a career-best 18th in the world, and at just 21 appears to be on a trajectory to stardom that has outgrown all but the biggest venues at Flushing Meadows.“The crowd is going to be wild for her,” ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe said. “Better make sure they don’t put her on one of those side courts early in the tournament.”Eala is back in New York for the latest stop on the whirlwind tour that has her on a path to being one of the future faces of tennis. She is less than a month removed from winning in Washington for her first WTA title, and her popularity is exploding in the process.
Back at a Grand Slam after reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon, she called herself “a drop in the ocean” while downplaying her impact on the sport.“At the forefront of everything is gratitude: I’m very grateful for the support that my fans give me and that my supporters give me,” Eala said Friday. “Every single WTA player and every single ATP player has contributed to the world of tennis and its history just by being here and by putting in the work every single day.”Part of what grounded Eala, she believes, is partnering with Venus Williams in doubles a couple of times this summer. She has also studied tennis history along the way and realized how much work it takes to get to the top.
