Alex Eala falls to Bucsa, exits in second round of US Open

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala’s spirited run at the US Open came to an abrupt halt on Thursday morning (Manila time) as she bowed out to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in straight sets, 4-6, 3-6, at Flushing Meadows, New York.

Coming off a historic first-round upset over 14th seed Clara Tauson of Denmark, the 20-year-old Eala entered the match as the higher-ranked player at world No. 71. 

But the pressure of being the favorite seemed to weigh on her, as she struggled to find her rhythm against the more composed Bucsa, ranked No. 95.

The Spaniard seized the initiative right from the start, breaking Eala in the opening game. Although the Filipina quickly broke back and briefly gained momentum, costly errors in the closing stretch of the first set allowed Bucsa to wrest control and wrap it up, 6-4.

Riding on that momentum, Bucsa elevated her game in the second set. With aggressive net play and steady baseline defense, she blunted Eala’s power and forced her into unforced errors. From a tight 3-all deadlock.

 Bucsa reeled off three straight games to seal the victory and book her first-ever spot in the US Open third round.

The Moldovan-born 27-year-old had already shown strong form in the tournament, breezing past American Claire Liu, 6-2, 6-1, in her opener. 

Against Eala, she proved once again that her fearless approach and consistency could outlast raw firepower.

For Eala, the loss was a tough setback after the high of her opening-round triumph—a win that had electrified Filipino fans and placed her firmly in the international spotlight. 

Still, her upset of Tauson remains a breakthrough moment for Philippine tennis, underscoring her potential to contend on the sport’s biggest stages.

Eala left the court to the cheers of a predominantly Filipino crowd, disappointed but not defeated, as Bucsa celebrated her milestone victory.

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