The US Open is truly an international event, and Alexandra Eala and Janice Tjen expanded the tennis map to less unknown places. On Sunday, August 24, these two women scored big wins for themselves and their home countries of the Philippines and Indonesia, respectively.
Alexandra Eala
20-year-old Alexandra Eala has been playing amazing tennis in 2025. The Filipina was a 2025 Miami Open semifinalist who defeated three Grand Slam champions, Madison Keys, Jelena Ostapenko, and Iga Swiatek, in that coming-out tournament.
With that success and rankings leap, Eala earned her first ever spot in the US Open main draw. She was the underdog in her first round match against World No. 15 Clara Tauson, but Eala played a gutsy third set coming from 1-5 down to force a tiebreaker and seal the victory.
That win was the first main draw Grand Slam win by a tennis player from the Philippines, something the Philippine-filled crowd relished.
Alexandra Eala’s reaction after beating Tauson at the U.S. Open.
She falls flat on her back & bursts into tears. 🥹
Down 1-5 in the 3rd set
The first Filipino player to win a main draw match in a Slam in the Open Era.
Proud. 🥹
🇵🇭❤️
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 24, 2025
Eala thanked the fans for making it feel like a home tournament.
Janice Tjen
Indonesia’s Janice Tjen, 23, upset Veronika Kudermetova to become the first Indonesian player to win a Grand Slam main draw match in 22 years.
Tjen is ranked World No. 149, but the win over World No. 25 Kudermetova will help her to get inch closer to the Top 100.
Indonesia’s first win in a Grand Slam main draw in 22 years! 🥹🇮🇩
Janice Tjen pulls off the upset over No.24 seed Kudermetova. pic.twitter.com/1I6ZWrJtpQ
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2025
With the win, Tjen earns a second round matchup against 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Goosebumps.
The moment Coleman Wong became the first man from Hong Kong in the Open Era to reach the singles main draw of a Grand Slam! 🇭🇰 pic.twitter.com/mo30gND7ST
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 23, 2025
In addition to these two women, the eyes and hearts of Hong Kong will be on Coleman Wong who is trying to break ground for his country. Wong came through qualifiers, and he will play American Aleksandar Kovacevic in his first round match on Monday.