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Alexandra Eala has become Philippines’ first Grand Slam junior champion, after winning the girls’ singles title at the US Open with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Lucie Havlickova.
Eala — who currently trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy — entered the Saturday’s final as the underdog with her 10th-seed ranking but rose to the occasion as she overpowered second seed Havlickova, who was looking to claim a second Grand Slam singles win of the season following her triumph at Roland Garros.
The 17-year-old, who unsurprisingly identifies the legendary Nadal as her role model, was already a two-time Grand Slam junior doubles winners, having won both the 2020 Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2021 with Oksana Selekhmeteva.
Eala achieved her triumph at Flushing Meadows without dropping a set, having not competed at junior level since last December at the Orange Bowl.
Earlier this year, she had claimed three bronze medals for Philippines at the 31st Southeast Asian Games in the women’s singles, mixed doubles and women’s team events.