Alex Eala Shifts Focus to Singapore Open After US Open Heartbreak vs Iva Jovic
Alex Eala's best-ever run at the US Open came to a gut-wrenching end at the hands of her close friend Iva Jovic, but there's little time to dwell on it. The Filipina star is already turning her attention to the Singapore Tennis Open later this month, a tournament with a special place in her career.
Alex Eala fell to close friend Iva Jovic 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a three-hour US Open third-round thriller, after leading 4-2 in the deciding set. It's her third straight loss to Jovic this season. She now heads to the Singapore Tennis Open (September 21-27), an upgraded WTA 500 event where she'll be one of the headline names alongside Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, and Amanda Anisimova, and a tournament with sentimental value from her junior playing days.
How the US Open Exit Unfolded
Playing in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, 17th-seeded Eala pushed 14th-seeded Jovic to the limit in a match that ran three hours and three minutes. Jovic took the opener 7-5, Eala hit back to level things at 6-3, and the decider swung back and forth before Eala built a 4-2 lead - only for Jovic to reel off five of the last six games to close it out 7-5 and advance to a fourth-round meeting with defending champion Coco Gauff. It's the third time this season Jovic has beaten Eala, following wins at the French Open and Queen's Club, and both players embraced warmly at the net afterward - a reminder of how close the two young rivals actually are off the court.
Even in defeat, the run marked a step forward for Eala, bettering her second-round finish at the tournament last year and continuing a breakout season that has already included her maiden WTA Tour title in Washington and a career-high ranking inside the world's top 20.
Next Stop: Singapore
Eala wasted no time confirming where her focus goes next. The Singapore Tennis Open runs September 21-27 at the OCBC Arena in the Kallang sports complex, just over two weeks after her US Open exit. The event has been upgraded to a WTA 500 tournament for 2026 after debuting as a WTA 250 last year, and it's shaping up to be one of the strongest fields of the Asian swing: world No. 3 Jessica Pegula, world No. 5 Mirra Andreeva, and world No. 10 Amanda Anisimova headline a 28-player draw that also includes Diana Shnaider, Sorana Cirstea, and Ekaterina Alexandrova - seven top-20 players in total, Eala among them.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Dates | September 21-27, 2026 |
| Venue | OCBC Arena, Kallang, Singapore |
| Surface | Hard (indoor) |
| Level | WTA 500 |
| Notable Entrants | Pegula, Andreeva, Anisimova, Eala, Shnaider, Cirstea |
Why Singapore Means So Much to Eala
This isn't just another stop on the calendar for the Filipina. Eala first competed in Singapore as an 11-year-old at the WTA Future Stars event, where she won the Li Na Inspiration Award - one of her earliest brushes with the tour. In a video posted to the tournament's Instagram ahead of this year's edition, she said she was excited to return and that playing in Southeast Asia always makes her feel at home. Notably, she has never played the Singapore Open's main draw before; her only previous attempt came via qualifying in 2025, where she beat Sara Saito before falling to Simona Waltert in the final qualifying round.
A Scheduling Wrinkle: The Asian Games
The Singapore Open's dates overlap with the 2026 Asian Games in Japan (September 19 - October 4), creating a scheduling question for Eala, who won bronze at the 2023 Asian Games and gold at last December's SEA Games. As of now, she has not confirmed whether she'll represent the Philippines at this year's Asian Games, suggesting the WTA 500 ranking points and prize money on offer in Singapore may take priority during this stretch of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Eala vs Jovic at the US Open?
Iva Jovic won 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in the third round, after Eala had led 4-2 in the deciding set.
What is Eala's head-to-head record against Iva Jovic?
Jovic leads 3-0, having also beaten Eala at the 2026 French Open and at Queen's Club (HSBC Championships).
When is the Singapore Tennis Open?
September 21-27, 2026, at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.
Who else is playing the 2026 Singapore Open?
Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva, and Amanda Anisimova headline, alongside Diana Shnaider, Sorana Cirstea, and Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Has Alex Eala played the Singapore Open before?
Not the main draw - she attempted qualifying in 2025 but lost in the final qualifying round. She did compete in Singapore as a junior in 2016 and 2017.