Southeast Asian tennis players make an impressive start at the 2025 US Open

Although matched against tougher opponents, both Southeast Asian players in the women's singles at this year's US Open showcased exceptional skill.

The final Grand Slam event of the year, the 2025 US Open, officially began late on August 24th, Vietnam time. Alongside renowned players like Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, and Aryna Sabalenka, the first day of competition drew special attention from Southeast Asian tennis fans due to the participation of Alexandra Eala (Philippines) and Janice Tjen (Indonesia) in the women's singles.

Both Southeast Asian players faced seeded opponents but performed excellently to secure very impressive victories.

Philippine tennis rising star Alexandra Eala staged an emotional comeback against Denmark's 14th seed, Clara Tauson. Eala started strong, winning the first set 6-3, but Tauson regained composure to take the second set decisively 6-2. The Danish player then surged ahead by breaking Eala's serve twice to lead 5-1 in the final set.

Just when it seemed Tauson would win, Eala rallied to recover everything lost and tied the score at 5-5. She then saved a match point and pushed the match into a super tie-break to 10 points. Both players fought fiercely, but the Filipino took advantage of key moments to win 13-11, concluding the thrilling 2-hour 38-minute match.

For Janice Tjen, the Indonesian player showed strong form against Russia's 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova. Tjen broke Kudermetova's serve twice compared to one break against her, winning the first set 6-4 and even took the lead in the second set. However, the 2002-born player was unable to maintain her advantage, allowing Kudermetova to break back in games 6 and 10, forcing a deciding third set.

Nevertheless, Tjen remained composed and continued to control the match against Kudermetova. The ASIAD 19 bronze medalist broke serve early in the third set, saved two break points in game 6, and surged to victory. This marked Tjen's first win in her debut Grand Slam appearance.

In the second round, Alexandra Eala will face either Cristina Bucsa or Claire Liu, while Janice Tjen will go up against Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion.

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