Hindi makapaniwala si Alex Eala nang mahablot nito ang US Open Girls' Singles title sa USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center sa New York City, United States nitong Sabado (Linggo ng madaling araw sa Pilipinas).
Ito na ang unang Grand Slam ni Eala.
Pinataob ng 17-anyos na si Eala si French Open girls champion Lucie Havlickova ng Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4, sa kanilang championship match.
"My idol is obviously Rafa (Rafael Nadal). He's a very good role model, something a lot of people should idolize and try to be. The biggest thing I notice in Rafa is how he fights till the end, how his thoughts are so clear. He's so calm, but at the same time so fired up. I think I really tried to channel that energy during this whole week," pahayag ni Eala sa isang panayam ilang minuto matapos iuwi ang kampeonato.
Ito ang unang pagsabak ni Eala sa junior tournament mula nang sumali siya sa Orange Bowl sa Florida noong Disyembre.
Nagsimula ang kampanya ni Eala sa US Open sa pagkapanalo nito laban kina Canadian Annabelle Xu sa unang round, 6-3, 6-0, at Slovakian Nina Vargova sa second round, 6-2, 6-3, bago pinatalsik si Canadian Victoria Mboko, 6-1, 7-6, sa semifinals.
Kaugnay nito, kaagad namang binati ni Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines in New York si Eala.
"Mabuhay Alex Eala! Our 17-year old kababayan made history today by defeating No. 2 seed Lucie Havlickova in the girls finals to become the first Filipino to win a grand slam singles title at the US Open," ayon pa sa Facebook post ni Cato.