Alex Eala still felt very much at home despite competing thousands of miles away as she marched toward a historic victory at the US Open early Monday, August 25, in New York.

The 20-year-old Eala wasn’t lacking in support when she battled world No. 14 Clara Tauson at the Grandstand, where thousands of her “kababayans” showered her with thunderous cheers on her way to a stunning 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (11) upset victory.

“It’s so special. They make me feel more and more special,” said Eala during her post-match interview.

“To be a Filipino is something I take so much pride in,” she added.

It was a timely feat for Eala, as Filipinos back home commemorated National Heroes Day. Her display of grit and resilience -- especially as she fought back from a 1-5 deficit in the third set to secure a momentous victory -- perfectly captured the spirit of the occasion.

The win made Eala the first Filipino in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam match.

Filipinos back home also showed their support for Eala, staying up in the early hours of the morning and flooding social media with messages of congratulations.

“This was really the highlight of the match. Like, imagine being down 1-5 tapos na-comeback mo pa with plays like this. Isa kang tunay na Pilipinang palaban, Alex Eala!” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“Good morning kay Alex Eala at sa lahat ng napuyat sa kanya!” another fan wrote.

“A well deserved congratulations!!! May you inspire many more young ladies out there,” another user wrote.

The come-from-behind victory also marked a stellar return for Eala, who rested for a couple of weeks due to a shoulder injury which forced her to withdraw two Women’s Tennis Association (WTA1000) pre-Grand Slam events.

She also stressed she needed all the energy and effort she could give to survive a tough match against the Danish 14th seed.

“It was so, so difficult. [Clara is] a huge player, she’s a great player. Definitely not an easy draw for a first round, but I’m so happy that I was able to dig deep,” said Eala.

“I was just thinking to push the limit physically, mentally…this was it,” she added.

Eala knew it was still far from the tournament, but she was taking it one game at a time.

“I would say anything is possible and to dream big. I, as a person, am very ambitious,” she said.

And where Eala’s great source of inspiration comes from? It all goes back to home where her loved ones nurtured her with their tender love and care.

“And, although there was no one from my country who did this before was successful in tennis I took inspiration from anyone I could, from my family, my brother, so I think just to be ambitious and to dream big and know you can do it,” she said.