Eala earns swift US Open win vs Oliynykova to reach 3rd round

CROWD DARLING. The Philippines' Alexandra Eala celebrates winning her second-round match against Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykova in the 2026 US Open.

Amber Searls/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters

Alex Eala claims another straight-sets victory, making short work of Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova to surpass her US Open finish last year and advance to the third round for the first time

AT A GLANCE

• Alex Eala advanced to the third round of the US Open with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Oleksandra Oliynykova, marking a significant improvement from her previous year's performance.
• Eala showcased her skills by dominating the match, winning the first set in just 23 minutes and maintaining a strong lead throughout, ultimately finishing the match in 1 hour and 3 minutes.
• This victory allows Eala to avenge a previous loss to Oliynykova and continues her impressive run in the tournament, having not dropped a set so far.

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MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala has come so far that a win in a Grand Slam no longer feels like a surprise.

The Filipina tennis star rolled into the third round of the US Open following a masterful 6-1, 6-4 victory over Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York, on Thursday, September 3 (Friday, September 4, Manila time).

A scorching start set the tone for the swift triumph as Eala surpassed her finish in the same tournament last year, when she stunned Denmark’s Clara Tauson to become the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam main draw match in the Open Era, before she fell to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the second round.

“I think my patience and the consistency of my focus — I think those were the key to winning the match today,” said Eala.

Matching her lofty billing as the 17th seed, Eala won the first nine points en route to 4-0 lead before she clinched the opening set in just 23 minutes.

Oliynykova, ranked 46th in the world, refused to go down without a fight, grabbing a 2-1 lead in the second set and battling back to level at 3-3 before Eala closed out the match by winning three of the final four games.

Eala sealed the win with a serve that forced an errant return from Oliynykova as she concluded the match in just 1 hour and 3 minutes for one of her fastest victories in a Grand Slam. 

Fueled by the support of flag-waving Filipinos, Eala dominated Oliynykova throughout, firing 13 more winners (19-6) and committing 12 fewer errors (12-24) on the way to a 59-35 advantage in total points.

“I think we all represent something and I’m proud of what I represent,” said Eala.

The win allowed Eala to get back at Oliynykova just four months after she lost to the Ukrainian in their maiden WTA Tour encounter, absorbing a three-set loss in the opening round of the Strasbourg Open in France in May. 

Eala has yet to drop a set in this US Open as she also swept USA’s Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2, to begin her campaign.

Up next for Eala in the round of 32 is the winner between American world No. 14 Iva Jovic and British world No. 104 Francesca Jones. – Rappler.com