Alex Eala's next opponent at the US Open will be world no. 95 Cristina Bucsa as the Spanish hitter made quick work of Claire Liu in the opening round.
Alex Eala will be facing off against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in the second round of the US Open after the latter lambasted USA’s Claire Liu on Tuesday (PH time), 6-2, 6-1.
Bucsa, ranked no. 95 in singles, is significantly more successful in doubles, having been a bronze medalist at the Olympic Games in Paris just last year.
While she’s won seven titles in doubles in the WTA Tour, with the most recent coming at the Monterrey Open in Mexico earlier this month, Bucsa only has one WTA Challenger title in singles, that being the Open de Limoges in France back in December 2023.
However, Bucsa won’t be a walk in the park, especially as she displayed her singles form with the straight sets win against Liu.
Bucsa was the overwhelming favorite against the American qualifier, but will now face more uncertainty against Eala.
The 20-year-old is fresh from a breakthrough Grand Slam win over Clara Tauson, where she also rode the energy of pro Filipino crowd that fueled her chase for history.
[READ: Alex Eala savors Filipino support in maiden US Open win — ‘They made me feel like I’m home’]
Even as Eala is the higher-ranked player this time, Bucsa has been known to pull off surprises, including an upset over former US Open winner Emma Raducanu in Singapore earlier this year..
Bucsa vs Eala is scheduled for Wednesday (PH time).