Alex Eala vs Iva Jovic: A Rivalry Reaches New Heights at the US Open
Alex Eala has cut through the early rounds of the US Open with the assurance of a player who knows exactly where she wants to go. Now comes the familiar roadblock.
Friend. Rival. Problem she still hasn’t solved.
Iva Jovic.
Eala, ranked No. 18 in the world, stormed into the third round with back-to-back straight-sets wins, first dismantling Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine, 6-1, 6-4, then brushing aside American qualifier Mary Stoiana, 6-1, 6-2. Two matches, two statements. Barely a wobble.
The reward is as tough as it is intriguing: a third showdown this year with the American No. 14, on Jovic’s home turf, in New York.
Eala has seen this movie twice already in 2024, and both times it ended badly for her. Jovic dominated their meeting at the HSBC Championships, 6-2, 6-2, then backed it up with another straight-sets win in the French Open first round, 6-4, 6-2. Same opponent, same pattern. No answers yet.
That’s what makes this third chapter compelling. Same rivalry, different stage.
Jovic has played her way into this round with the kind of composure that belies her 18 years. She opened her campaign by turning back Fran Jones, 6-4, 6-4, then raised her level again to oust Magda Frech, 7-5, 6-3. Tight scorelines, key points owned. The American has looked at home in the tension.
“Super excited, the atmosphere is going to be amazing,” Jovic said of facing Eala. “It’s super nice to be playing each other in the third round, deeper in the slams, so hopefully we keep going at runs like these.”
There’s a warmth between them that doesn’t usually survive at this level. The two recently shared the court not as opponents but as entertainers during the Stars of the Open fan event, teaming up with their fathers in a light-hearted doubles hit. Laughter then. Edge now.
Eala knows exactly what’s coming across the net.
“Iva, she’s an amazing player, young, very talented, and very intelligent. She’s higher ranked and very accomplished, and I’ve encountered my fair share of challenges against her this year,” the 21-year-old Filipina said, offering genuine respect rather than boilerplate praise.
The head-to-head is lopsided, but Eala’s mindset remains steady. She refuses to obsess over the draw or the name beside hers.
“It’s not under my control who I play. I just do my best and try to do everything I can to win,” she said.
That’s been evident in New York so far: clean starts, aggressive intent, no lingering over missed chances. Against Jovic, she will need all of that and more—especially on a court that will lean heavily towards the American.
The stakes stretch beyond simple revenge. A win would not only punch Eala’s ticket into the second week of a Slam; it would also signal that she can now take down the very players who have had her number on the big stages.
For Jovic, it’s a chance to tighten her grip on a rivalry she currently controls and to deepen her run in front of a home crowd that’s just starting to learn her name.
They meet on Saturday (Manila time), exact schedule still to be confirmed.
Two friends. One problem to solve.
Third time lucky—or third time reinforced?
