At A Glance
- According to this year's prize money on the US Open website, the 20-year-old Eala is set to take home $154,000 (P8,797,406) for reaching the second round of the final Grand Slam event in the tennis calendar.
Alexandra Eala, of the Philippines, reacts after losing a point to Cristina Bucsa, of Spain, during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 27, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Filipina tennis star Alex Eala guaranteed herself a hefty purse despite her second-round loss to Spanish Cristina Bucsa, 6-4, 6-3, at the US Open in New York Thursday morning, Aug. 28 (Philippine time).
According to this year’s prize money on the US Open website, the 20-year-old Eala is set to take home $154,000 (P8,797,406) for reaching the second round of the final Grand Slam event in the tennis calendar.
The charming lefty also gained 70 points and is now currently holds No. 69 spot with 944 total points in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) live rankings.
Not too long ago, the country’s and Southeast Asia region’s top player reached a career-high No. 56 last June where she reached her first final at a WTA-sanctioned event in Lexus Eastbourne Open in Great Britain.
There, Eala was denied of winning a monumental WTA title when she was beaten by fellow rising star Maya Joint of Australia.
Prior to her defeat to Bucsa, Eala scored a 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13- 11) come-from-behind win over world No. 14 Danish Clara Tauson.
She became the first-ever Filipina to prevail in a main draw match in a Grand Slam meet within the Open era.
Before plunging into US Open action, Eala took a break from tennis to heal from her shoulder injury that sidelined her for a couple of weeks ahead of the New York-based tiff.