The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 U.S. Open. NEW YORK — In a small room on the second floor of an Episcopal church in Queens, a large printer beeps and whirs, spitting out posters inked with bright yellow tennis balls. Fluorescent prints line the walls; a bible sits on the table. The song “Salamin, Salamin” by Filipino girl group Bini plays from a computer.This is where Pau Tiu, 32, has spent the week designing and printing posters in support of rising Filipino tennis star Alex Eala.Just four miles away, Eala beat the United States’ Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, Tuesday night in her 2026 U.S. Open debut. On Thursday, she beat Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the third round in Queens for the first time. In the crowd, dozens of fans held up posters reading “Laban Alex” — which translates to “Fight, Alex” — that Tiu’s studio Bad Student printed and that Tiu handed out before the match.Eala has been making tennis history for years, representing a country that loves to show up for its stars. In August, the 21-year-old became the first Filipino player to win a WTA Tour singles title, beating No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the D.C. Open final. In Washington, just as in Toronto, Dubai, Melbourne and other cities all over the world, the Filipino diaspora came out in droves to support their new heroine.At the U.S. Open, a Filipino artist finds inspiration in Eala-maniaRebecca Tauber and Johnny SweetThe past week was no different, as Eala fans filled the 14,000-capacity arena with Filipino flags and roaring cheers.Among those fans sat Tiu, holding up a poster with a Sampaguita, the Philippines’ national flower. Eala’s clothing sponsor, Nike, featured it on a visor at Wimbledon, where Eala announced herself to the wider sports world by beating defending champion Iga Świątek.Pau Tiu designs and prints posters devoted to Alex Eala’s rise as a tennis star from their studio in Queens, N.Y. (Rebecca Tauber / The Athletic)“We’re all connected, cheering her on. So it’s such a beautiful thing to be part of,” Tiu said during Eala’s first set Tuesday night. “It’s crazy to be surrounded with so many Filipinos, and I feel I’m just back at home, and there’s so much spirit of community, or as we say, kapwa.”