Iva Jovic continues to have Alex Eala's number.
The 18-year old American once again got the better of her close friend and world No. 18 Eala, overcoming the Filipina in a thrilling three-set battle, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, to book her place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 US Open early Sunday morning Philippine time at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York.
With the victory, Jovic extended her dominance over Eala to 3-0 in their head-to-head matchup, maintaining her perfect record against the Filipina, after she won in the French Open 6-4, 6-2, and at the Queen's Club 6-2, 6-2 early this year.
Both players opened the first set by holding serve, but Jovic struck first in the third game, capitalizing on two double faults from Eala to earn the first break of the match and take a 2-1 lead.
Eala immediately threatened to break back in the fourth game, earning three break points on Jovic's serve. But the 18-year-old American held her nerve, winning five straight points to fend off the threat and consolidate the break for a 3-1 advantage.
Jovic continued to apply pressure on Eala's serve in the fifth game, earning another break to stretch her lead to 4-1 and win four consecutive games.
The Filipina finally halted the run in the sixth game, breaking Jovic's serve to get back on the board before holding in the seventh to cut the deficit to 4-3. The onslaught would continue with another break in the eighth game to tie things up at 4-4 apiece.
However, the theme of not controlling the serves persisted to four straight games, but it was the 14th seed Jovic that made the important hold in the 12th game, which became the game that sealed the opener at 7-5.
The tight nature of the set was reflected in the winners count, with Jovic holding a narrow 13-12 edge over Eala. However, the Filipina's 15 unforced errors compared to just nine from the 18-year-old American proved costly, especially in the key exchanges.
She also struggled to get enough points behind her first serve, landing just 53% of her first deliveries compared to Jovic's 67%. After having difficulty protecting her serve early in the set, that disparity gave Jovic an important advantage in the service battle.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with both players protecting their serves through the opening three games. This time, however, it was Eala who struck first, breaking Jovic in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead.
It turned into another stretch of back-and-forth breaks, with the two players trading breaks over five consecutive games. The Filipina managed to maintain her advantage through the sequence, eventually moving ahead 5-3 and putting herself one game away from leveling the match.
The world No. 18 would then get a decisive hold of serve in the ninth game to close out the set 6-3 and draw level at one set apiece.
Eala also held the edge on first-serve percentage in the second set, landing 69% of her first deliveries compared to the American teenager's 56%, giving the Filipina greater control on serve as she fought back into the match.
Before the third set got underway, Jovic received treatment on her groin after appearing to experience discomfort late in the second set.
Eala tested the American's movement, breaking Jovic's serve in the opening game before holding in the second to consolidate the early advantage at 2-0.
Jovic, however, refused to let the physical issue derail her. The American responded by winning the next two games, capping the run with a break of Eala's serve in the fourth game to level the set at 2-2.
The two players then traded breaks once again, with Eala striking first in the fifth game to move back in front before Jovic answered with a break in the eighth. With neither player able to protect the advantage for long, the set remained deadlocked at 4-4.
For the next three games, the two players would hold serve until the 11th game to extend the final set. But it was Jovic that landed the final blow with her ninth break of the match to win this classic match at 7-5.
Up next for Eala could be her stint for flag and country in the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with the expectation of her skipping the WTA 1000 China Open.
