Alex Eala is back at Flushing Meadows this year, but not the same player who arrived in 2025. Then, she was a breakthrough-hungry newcomer; now, at 21, she’s a legitimate contender carrying real expectations into New York.
The past year added three more Grand Slam main draws, matches against Top 10 opponents, and high-pressure moments against the sport’s biggest names, experience that Eala says has sped up her development both on and off the court. Reflecting on it at her Cincinnati Open press conference, she credited the work she put in beforehand for the experiences she’s now having, and said she needs to keep grinding to keep experiencing them.
The numbers tell the story too: Eala entered the 2025 US Open ranked outside the Top 100 at world No. 75. She returns this year at a career-high No. 18, fueled by her breakthrough title run in Washington.
Her game has evolved alongside her ranking. Where she once relied heavily on her backhand and forehand aggression, she’s now more selective with her forehand — using court positioning and depth to set up points before picking her moment to attack. Her serve has also gained more variety, and she’s gotten sharper at shifting between defense and offense.
