Some had predicted that Alex Eala might struggle to maintain her momentum — both mentally and physically — after the frenzy and media hype surrounding her opening-round win at the US Open.
Unfortunately, those predictions came true.
Eala never found her rhythm and fell in straight sets to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, 4-6, 3-6, in the second round of the US Open early Thursday morning (Manila time) at Flushing Meadows, New York.
Playing a Grand Slam match for the first time as the higher-ranked seed, the world No. 71 Eala could not capitalize on her perceived edge over the world No.95 Bucsa, an opponent she had previously beaten.
The tone of the match was set right from the opening game of the first set, when Bucsa immediately broke Eala’s serve to take a 1-0 lead.
The 20-year-old Filipina responded with a break of her own to level the score and surged ahead until the seventh game.
But with the score knotted at 4-4,
Bucsa pounced again, breaking serve and closing out the set on her own serve in the 10th game.
Bucsa showcased a fearless approach, rushing the net at key moments and catching Eala off guard.
The 27-year-old Moldovan-born Spaniard also stood her ground in baseline rallies, neutralizing Eala’s power with grit and consistency.
Though the first set was tightly contested, Eala’s few but costly errors tilted the momentum Bucsa’s way.
Buoyed by the opening-set win, Bucsa came out more aggressive in the second set, breaking serve right away.
From a 3-3 deadlock, she seized control, breaking twice more as Eala’s game unraveled with unforced errors.
Played on Court 7 of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the match was over in just an hour and 23 minutes.
Eala, along with a predominantly Filipino crowd, left disappointed as Bucsa celebrated a breakthrough — her first trip to the US Open third round.
It was Bucsa’s second straight-sets victory of the tournament, following a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win over American Claire Liu in the opening round.
For Eala, it was a frustrating end to a campaign that had started with so much promise.
Her first-round upset over 14th seed Clara Tauson of Denmark was a historic win for Philippine tennis, but her second-round stumble served as a reminder of how unforgiving the Grand Slam stage can be.
