Filipina star Alex Eala booked her place in the second round of the US Open with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over American qualifier Mary Stoina.
Eala is seeded 17th at Flushing Meadows and showed some early nerves as she committed a string of errors to face two break points. However, she soon composed herself, holding serve to take a 1-0 lead.
The 21-year-old broke Stoina twice while holding her own serve to race into a 5-0 lead before Stoina held serve to avoid a dreaded bagel.
Eala responded in kind to take the first set in 31 minutes.
Stoiana came out with more confidence in the second set, keeping pace with Eala until the fourth game, when the score remained tied at 2-2.
From there, Eala asserted her dominance to take the second set 6-2.
“Of course, it was a very difficult [match],” said Eala.
“Every exchange had its own challenges, especially at the start of the second set. I think she put me in uncomfortable positions.
“She’s been having a great run coming from qualifying and a good past couple of weeks, so I’m really happy with this match.”
Eala enjoys support wherever she goes and it was no different in New York.
“The support I’ve been getting the past couple of days in New York, and honestly, to be frank, everywhere around the world …” she said.
“I want to thank the community here in New York, the tennis fans, not just from the Philippines, who have been making me feel so loved, and are so enthusiastic and contributing to the growth of women’s tennis."
Eala, who became the first Philippine player to win a WTA 500 event at the Mubadala DC Open in August, will next face Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine, who defeated American wildcard Reese Brantmeier, 6-4, 6-4, in the opening round.
Gauff powers past Sonmez
Home favourite Coco Gauff began her campaign for a second US Open crown with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old arrived fresh from winning the Cincinnati Open and is chasing a third Grand Slam title after her breakthrough triumph in New York in 2023.
"I wasn't that nervous today, which was a shock," Gauff said on court. "When I walked back out on this court, I was trying to hold back a smile."
Gauff was in control under the lights and closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium, taking the only break of serve in the first set and wrapping up the opener in just over half an hour.
World No 53 Sonmez showed flashes of her talent and produced a string of impressive winners, including a blistering backhand that drew applause from the crowd and even Gauff herself.
Sonmez, 24, looked to have settled in the second set, breaking back immediately after Gauff opened with a break and began testing the American with deep groundstrokes and forays to the net.
Gauff came under pressure, trailing 3-2, but fought off three break points to hold and level the set before breaking Sonmez to reassert control at 4-3.
The American pulled away from there as Sonmez struggled to sustain the level that had briefly unsettled the fourth seed, leaving Gauff to close out another comfortable win.
"I know that I can raise my level if I need to," Gauff said.
"I like to challenge my opponent to keep up that level the whole match, and if they do, I clap my hands and walk off the court with my head held high. But I was able to settle down."
Gauff, who has reached the fourth round or better at the U.S. Open in each of the last four years, will face either Daria Kasatkina or Paula Badosa in the second round.
Andreeva sends Tjen packing
Mirra Andreeva began her US Open campaign with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory over unseeded Indonesian Janice Tjen on Tuesday to reach the second round and keep her bid for a second Grand Slam title on track.
Andreeva announced herself by claiming this year's French Open title on clay to become the third-youngest major champion this century behind Maria Sharapova and Emma Raducanu, but she showed she is no slouch on hard courts.
The 19-year-old, who looked right at home during her run to the mixed doubles semi-finals with fellow Russian Andrey Rublev last week, relied on her power and precision again to dispatch Tjen under the roof of Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Andreeva later said she was working on moving past her major breakthrough in Paris and manage the expectations on her, as she attempts to reach the second week at Flushing Meadows for the first time.
"I've been talking to my psychologist about it a lot, trying to think about it as just another tournament I won this year and not put labels on it," Andreeva told reporters.
"Now I feel I'm just trying to move on in a way, like 'OK, I won. That was great' but now it's another tournament I want to win and that I have to try and show the best level that I have."
Andreeva will take on Germany's Eva Lys in the next round.
