Iva Jovic praised Alex Eala’s character and the emotional hug at the net after their US Open match.
For three hours, Alex Eala and Iva Jovic were fierce opponents inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Once the final point was over, they were friends again.
Jovic defeated Eala 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a gripping third-round match at the 2026 US Open on Saturday (September 6 in UAE), earning a place in the fourth round.
But one of the most memorable moments came after Jovic won the match, falling to the ground in relief and exhaustion. When she got up, Eala was already on her side of the court. The two embraced, with Eala congratulating her close friend after a match that had demanded everything from both players.
For Jovic, the moment was deeply emotional. “It says a lot about her as a person. I’m gonna start crying,” Jovic said during her post-match press conference. “But it says a lot about her as a person to be able to do that after that type of match and still come over to hug me and wish me all the best.”
The 18-year-old American said the friendship continued away from the cameras.“And even in the locker room, behind closed doors… so, that just says a lot about her and her character. Yeah, she’s incredible,” Jovic said.
Eala and Jovic came through the junior ranks together and have continued to cross paths on the professional circuit. They also played doubles together at the ASB Classic earlier this year, adding another layer to a rivalry that has now produced several memorable singles encounters.
The two had already met at the French Open this year, where Jovic defeated Eala. After that match, Jovic posted a message on Instagram that captured the unusual dynamic between the two competitors.
“One of those days I wish there could be two winners,” Jovic wrote, tagging Eala.
That sentiment was on full display again in New York. Once the match began, however, friendship had to wait.
The pair traded powerful groundstrokes and battled through long rallies before Jovic finally secured the deciding set. The official US Open account described the match as a contest between two rising young stars, with Jovic ultimately winning her third consecutive meeting with Eala this year.
Eala’s run ended in the third round, but the match further demonstrated how far her profile has risen.
The 21-year-old Filipina entered the US Open as the No. 17 seed and had already attracted enormous support from Filipino communities in New York and beyond.
Her growing following has become a recurring feature of her 2026 season. In Toronto, more than 10,000 fans packed a sold-out crowd for her National Bank Open match, while her run in Washington and subsequent appearances in Toronto and Cincinnati also generated major interest among Filipino supporters.
At the US Open, that support followed her onto the tournament’s biggest courts. Eala played her first two singles matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium before meeting Jovic under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis stadium in the world.
After her second-round victory, Eala became emotional while reflecting on what the Filipino support has meant to her. “It’s indescribable to sum up the support and how it makes me feel in just a few words. It’s a real privilege to experience this in a lifetime,” Eala said. “Playing on Arthur Ashe, and feeling the support, being in those environments, learning these lessons, and fighting and doing what I love. I’m really happy.” PIA/Expat Media
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