Alex Eala's potential route to US Open glory goes through four Grand Slam winners
Alex Eala has been handed a testing route to the latter stages of the 2026 US Open - including, if she reaches that stage, a match against a former champion as early as round four.
Eala is seeded 17th for the final Grand Slam of the year, having been pushed up a spot courtesy of Victoria Mboko's injury withdrawal.
The Filipina has been drawn in the sixth section, and will take on a qualifier in her first round match.
That match could potentially be played on the main court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, given Eala's popularity, with former doubles champion Patrick McEnroe warning organisers to put her on big courts because of the crowds she has been attracting.
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Her opening match is likely set for Sunday, though the exact timings will not be officially announced until the identity of her qualifier opponent is confirmed.
Alex Eala's path to US Open final revealed
Should she progress through round one, she will face either Ukraine's Oleksandra Oliynykov or American wildcard Reese Brantmeier.
Eala's close friend Iva Jovic is a potential opponent in round three, with the 18-year-old US star seeded 14th for the tournament. Jovic defeated Eala in round three at the French Open earlier this year.
Round four is where the draw becomes even trickier, with the Filipina having to get past 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff if both players make it that far.
Gauff has had some Grand Slam success this season but not quite the amount she would have ideally liked, having been knocked out at the third round in Roland-Garros before reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon. The 22-year-old made it to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Progression past the fourth round means Eala would take on a player from the fifth section of the draw, which includes reigning French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and last year's US Open runner-up Amanda Anisimova.
Anisimova, 24, defeated Eala over three sets at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month. After the match, the American said her opponent is 'such a great player and such a fighter'.
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Sections seven and eight - which contains Eala's potential opponents at the semi-final stage - include Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys and Elena Rybakina.
World number two Rybakina, who won the Australian Open this year for her second Grand Slam title, will have become the new number one in the WTA rankings if she reaches the last four.
The Kazakh star is, in fact, still in with a chance of becoming number one even if she loses in the first round, with one of Gauff, Jessica Pegula and current incumbent Aryna Sabalenka needing to win the Grand Slam to overtake her.
Sabalenka, Pegula, reigning Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova, Barbora Krejcikova and Sofia Kenin are all in the top half of the draw, and could face Eala if she reaches a historic Grand Slam final.
Ryan Smart