Alex Eala’s US Open run ended in a difficult way, but the Filipina did not leave New York immediately after her defeat.

The 21-year-old was beaten by close friend Iva Jovic in the third round at Flushing Meadows. Jovic won 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 after a match which lasted more than three hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The American hit 44 winners, while the two players combined for 17 breaks of serve.

It was another notable Grand Slam tournament for Eala. She entered the US Open as the No. 17 seed and defeated Mary Stoiana and Oleksandra Oliynykova before losing to Jovic. Her second-round win over Oliynykova was also revenge for a previous defeat in Strasbourg. Eala is currently ranked No. 18 and has already won 38 matches this season.

However, former US Open quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic noticed something else a few days after Eala’s loss. The Australian was in Arthur Ashe Stadium for Jovic’s next match against Coco Gauff and saw Eala watching from a suite.

Tomljanovic on Eala watching Jovic-Gauff

“Last night I was at the Gauff-Jovic match live and you know who was there in the same suite was Alex Eala,” Tomljanovic said on The Big T Podcast. “I thought this was so cool, she just had a heartbreaker a few nights ago against Iva Jovic and in a few days she is watching the match she should have sort of played in.

I thought back to myself, she is a much sort of more mature person than me, because I would have probably still been in my room ordering room service.”

Gauff defeated Jovic 6-1, 6-4 to move into the quarterfinals. The American produced 18 winners and Jovic finished with 30 unforced errors in that match.

Brad Gilbert, Gauff’s former coach, was also part of the discussion and wondered why Eala decided to attend.

“This is very interesting. I know she’s really good friends with Jovic, was she supporting her game or was she learning and trying to figure out? Because I did say that I thought Coco was going to win easy,” Gilbert said.

Tomljanovic claimed Eala did not look like she was clearly supporting one player.

“I can’t tell you that I saw any, like she wasn’t strongly supporting one or the other, I think she was there to see what the match will look like and I think curiosity. She must just love tennis, because there’s much to do on a Monday night.”

Eala and Jovic already knew each other well before their third-round meeting. The US Open had even put the two young players together during its Stars of the Open event before the tournament, alongside Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien.

Eala’s next plans after the US Open

The defeat to Jovic did not change what has been a big 2026 season for the Filipina. Before arriving in New York, Eala won her first WTA Tour singles title in Washington by beating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final. She became the first player from the Philippines to win a WTA Tour singles title.

She also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this year, which remains her best result at a Grand Slam tournament. The WTA lists Eala at world No. 18 with one singles title and a 38-20 record for the season.

The progress did not start only in 2026. Eala reached the Miami Open semifinals in 2025 after beating Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek, and that run helped her enter the Top 100 for the first time. She later finished that season inside the Top 50.

New York also has a place in her earlier career. In 2022, Eala won the US Open girls’ singles title by beating Lucie Havlickova 6-2, 6-4, becoming the first Filipina to win a junior Grand Slam singles trophy.

“I’m super happy to represent my country,” Eala said after that final.

There are still a lot of matches ahead for Eala in the final part of the year. She is expected to play the Singapore Tennis Open before representing the Philippines at the Asian Games in Japan. Her decision means she is set to miss the China Open, a mandatory WTA 1000 tournament, and the Philippine Tennis Association has asked the WTA for an exemption.

Eala said national-team events remain important to her.

“I love playing and competing with the Philippine team,” she said, while also stressing that the Asian Games take place only once every four years.

The Asian Games will give the No. 18 another chance to play for a medal. Eala won bronze in singles and mixed doubles at the previous edition, and after that event she can turn her attention back to the WTA Tour.