A three-hour marathon hailed as one of the year's best duels

A dear friend delivered the decisive blow to Alexandra "Alex" Eala once again, abruptly ending not only her US Open campaign but a Grand Slam season that had shown remarkable improvement.

Closer than ever to finally beating one of her closest friends — and simultaneously her most difficult matchup — the Filipina let a golden opportunity slip away, falling 5-7, 6-3, 5-7 to Iva Jovic of the United States in the third round of the US Open before a sellout crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York.

Eala had never won a set against the 18-year-old American in their first two meetings. After finally doing so with a second-set masterclass, the 21-year-old Filipino appeared to be on the verge of victory, holding what looked like a comfortable 4-2 lead in the deciding set.

She stood on the cusp of the win, earning two break points in the seventh game for a potential 5-2 advantage, but could not convert. Unforced errors undermined her chances and continued to haunt her down the stretch.

Jovic, ranked world No. 14, held serve and then broke Eala in the following game as part of a decisive 5-1 closing run that carried her into the Round of 16 against fellow American and world No. 4 Coco Gauff.

The match lasted three hours and three minutes and was described by the US Open as one of the greatest duels of the year, showcasing two players regarded as part of the sport's "future." Neither Eala nor Jovic would give in on any serve, return or swing, drawing "oohs" and "aahs" from the 23,771-seat stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

When it ended, Eala's hopes had vanished from just inches away from glory, amid the highest expectations of her young career — her best-ever world ranking (No. 18), the highest Grand Slam seeding by a Filipino in history (No. 17 seed), and a wave of US media features including the New York Times, Forbes, Sports Illustrated, ESPN and the New Yorker. That seeding placed her among the tournament's protected top players for the first time at a major, a status earned entirely through her results over the past two seasons.

The crowd fell silent. Her debut at the world's biggest tennis venue was spoiled. And for a rare moment in her blossoming career, tears came for the usually fierce and resolute Filipino competitor.

Wearing a custom blue Nike outfit in honor of the Philippine flag, Eala — palms pressed to her tear-streaked face, two duffel bags over her shoulders — walked out of the tunnel of a venue filled with compatriots who had backed her through the first two rounds and in every city she had played this year.

Her exit also swept away a chance to solve the Jovic puzzle. Jovic now holds a commanding 3-0 head-to-head record on all surfaces, having beaten Eala at the French Open on clay (6-4, 6-2), at Queen's Club on grass (6-2, 6-2), and now on the hard courts of the US Open — a rivalry spanning every surface the tour plays on, and one that seems likely to recur as both players climb the rankings.

Eala, who had won 10 of her previous 12 hardcourt matches, also fell short of matching her best Grand Slam result — a Round of 16 finish at Wimbledon — though she improved on her second-round placing last year, when she made her US Open main draw debut.

The result also marked major progress from her first-round exits at both the Australian Open, where she reached the main draw for the first time, and the French Open, where she also lost to Jovic.

Overall, this was Eala's first season competing in all four Grand Slam main draws, following a breakthrough run in Miami last year that lifted her into the Top 100 and secured direct entry into all majors and WTA 1000 events.

The rewards followed. Eala earned €87,000 (about P6.3 million) at the French Open and A$150,000 (about P6.7 million) at the Australian Open, with her biggest purse coming at Wimbledon: £300,000 (about P25.4 million).

By reaching the Round of 32, Eala — whose career earnings stood at $1,682,305 before the US Open — will take home $290,000 from New York, bringing her total to nearly $2 million heading into the rest of the WTA Tour season.

But beyond the prize money, Eala places great value on the impact she has made for Philippine tennis and her bond with Filipinos worldwide as she plots her next campaign after falling short on the biggest stage and under the brightest lights of the sport.

Eala has already accomplished plenty, including her first WTA Tour title in Washington and a landmark year that set a new high for Philippine tennis, highlighted by seven wins this season alone over Top 10 players (9-5 overall against them).

"It's indescribable to sum up the support and how it makes me feel in just a few words. It's a real privilege to experience this in a lifetime," an emotional Eala said.

"Oh God, sorry. Playing on Arthur Ashe, and feeling the support, being in those environments, learning these lessons, and fighting and doing what I love. I'm really happy. I'm really lucky to have these opportunities, to have these people support me, and to be working hard and to be able to live this life how I'm living it."

Even Jovic was moved to tears after advancing at the expense of her tour colleague, with whom she has shared on-court battles, including a doubles semifinal finish at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, this year.

"I don't even know what to say. That felt like a marathon. I felt like I lost my sanity five times over to win that match. But it's really worth it for this feeling. I'm usually not one that shows that many emotions. But this one really meant a lot to me. It's everything to have another match at the US Open," said Jovic, who had also beaten Eala 6-3 in the Stars of the Open exhibition at the same venue the previous week, an event featuring cameo appearances by their fathers on court.

"It says a lot about Alex (Eala) as a person. I'm gonna start crying. But it says a lot about her as a person to be able to do that after that type of match and still come over to hug me and wish me all the best. And even in the locker room behind closed doors so, that just says a lot about her and her character. She's incredible."

All eyes — especially from the Philippine archipelago thousands of miles away — will remain on Eala. Heads may be down and eyes teary, but she will not wait until next year to chase the next objective: success on the Asian Tour beginning with the Singapore Open, and a gold medal for the Philippines at the Asian Games in Japan later this month.

The remaining WTA Tour events will follow, with Eala looking to settle unfinished business one match at a time — friend or not, whether Jovic or anyone else stands in the way. — John Bryan Ulanday