Eala upsets No. 14 Tauson, creates history for the Philippines

Alexandra Eala. Pic/AFP

Alexandra Eala became the first player from the Philippines in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam main-draw match with her first-round at the US Open.

The 2022 US Open junior girls' singles champion and World No. 70 Eala came back from a double break in the third set to upset No. 14 Clara Tauson, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(11), and reach the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

On the Miami hard courts in the spring, the lefty - who at the time was ranked World No. 140 - sent shockwaves through the tennis stratosphere when she defeated three Grand Slam champions in a row - Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek - to earn a semi-final berth at the event.

Meanwhile, World No. 1 Sabalenka, bidding to become the first woman to claim back-to-back US Open titles since Serena Williams completed a hat-trick of wins in 2014, was made to work hard en route to a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Switzerland's Rebeka Masarova.

Emma Raducanu finally earned her first victory at the US Open since taking the 2021 title as an 18-year-old, eliminating Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2.

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