Chair umpire Marijana Veljovic had to outright warn the US Open crowd during Alexandra Eala’s first-round match on Tuesday, pleading with them to “keep your voices down.” This wasn’t just some polite request; it was a full-on halt to the noise after a wild, drawn-out point that Eala ultimately sealed with a passing shot against American Mary Stoiana. Eala won that match 6-1, 6-2, but the real story brewing is the absolutely bonkers atmosphere her No. 17 seeded run is creating.
The “Insane Atmospheres” Only Eala’s Fans Can Create
This isn’t a one-off. Eala is the first significant tennis player from the Philippines, and her rise up the rankings to a fringe US Open contender has brought a whole new kind of energy to the sport. We’re talking crowds filled with people new to tennis, not clued into the quiet customs. It means “insane atmospheres” at tournaments that are usually pretty sleepy, and yeah, it’s “rankled some opponents.” Just ask American Jessica Pegula. After losing to Eala in a final earlier this summer in Washington, D.C., in front of a heavily partisan crowd, Pegula admitted it felt like a “road game.” But hey, even Pegula said she’d “rather play in an atmosphere like that than nobody [in the stands].” You’ve gotta respect that honesty.
Eala Embraces the Noise as Her Star Rises
You might have thought Tuesday’s 6-1, 6-2 victory was “relatively muted” in terms of crowd noise, especially compared to the French showman Gael Monfils who lit up Louis Armstrong Court earlier. Eala took control early, so the drama was low. But don’t sleep on the “Eala effect” getting wilder as she goes deeper into this tournament. As the biggest athlete from the Philippines since Manny Pacquiao, Eala carries the hopes of 114 million people and a massive global diaspora, including around 250,000 Filipinos right there in New York. This isn’t just about tennis anymore; it means “massive viewership,” “huge sponsorship deals,” and even “sold-out tournaments” like Toronto, which had a Filipino food stand. When the US Open announced Eala’s first-round night session, secondary market tickets immediately spiked to around $400 each. Her fans were absolutely repping, waving Filipino flags after every single point she won. And Eala? She’s totally embracing it. She said she’s “gotten a better rhythm at” compartmentalizing the noise professionally, but “it doesn’t get old. They [the Filipino fans] still surprise me.”
So, as Eala, the No. 17 seed, continues her run and the matches get tougher, you know that crowd is going to be a huge factor. The energy, the flags, the cheers after every point. She welcomes the noise, and her opponents are just going to have to deal with it. Get ready, US Open, because this is only going to get louder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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