World No. 18 Alex Eala could not have asked for a more special way to make her first appearance at Arthur Ashe Stadium than by sharing the historic court with one of her closest friends and their supportive fathers.
On August 28 (PHT), Alex and World No. 14 Iva Jovic put their friendship aside for a friendly clash at Stars of the Open, an annual charity exhibition held during US Open Fan Week initiated by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Foundation.
But while fans came to see the two young tennis stars go head-to-head, Alex and Iva had a little surprise of their own.
Towards the end of the match, the two rising stars brought their fathers onto the court for a brief mixed doubles match, turning the exhibition into an unexpected family affair and ending the night with a heartwarming hug with their dads.
Iva ultimately came out on top against Alex, winning the friendly match, 6-3.
With their friendship and lighthearted personalities still very much on display, the two also exchanged messages in their native languages while addressing the packed crowd at the stadium.
For the Filipina tennis star, the night was made even more memorable by the chance to share her first experience on the court with her father, Mike, who has long been one of the biggest supporters of her tennis journey.
“First time on Ashe, couldn’t imagine sharing this moment with anyone else. @iva_jovic07 you were so good out there, and so were our Dads!😆,” she reflected on Instagram.
In the carousel of photos, Alex could be seen flashing a wide smile throughout the game. She also exchanged hugs with Iva’s father, Bojan Jovic, while Iva shared a hug with Mike, which ultimately captured the friendship and sportsmanship between the two young players and their families.
READ: Alex Eala reacts to being the World’s No. 18 in WTA singles
The dads also shared a hug during the event, with both of them smiling after their daughters surprised them by bringing them into the action.
Alex continued to share her happiness on Instagram Stories, posting a photo with her father and simply writing: “So special.”
Iva, meanwhile, shared her own appreciation for the “full circle moment” she experienced with Alex and their fathers.
“Wow… nights like this are not something I take for granted. New york, you guys really showed up last night and we loved every second of it, and so did our dads🥹,” Iva wrote.
“And a full circle moment for @alex.eala and I to share our first time on Ashe together. Alex, ang galing mo❤️,” she added.
And true to their playful friendship, Alex had a fitting response in the comments.
“It was bring your Dad to work day 😂,” she quipped.
Alex’s athlete-brother Miko, who was also present courtside during the exhibition, joined in on the special moment by reposting a video of the heartwarming father-daughter exhibition on his Instagram Story.
READ: Meet Miko, the brother of Alex Eala who helped shape her tennis journey
The wholesome scene also caught the attention of fans, who rallied on social media to share how touched they were by Alex and Iva’s sportsmanship.
Apart from Alex and Iva, Stars of the Open also featured Amanda Anisimova against Marta Kostyuk, Flavio Cobolli against Learner Tien, and Arthur Fils against Alex Michelsen.
READ: Alex Eala now World’s No. 18 and the highest-ranked Southeast Asian in WTA Singles history
Alex also had another memorable encounter ahead of her US Open campaign.
The Filipina tennis star crossed paths with Filipino-American New York Knicks player Jordan Clarkson.
During their meeting, the two congratulated each other on their successful journeys in their respective sports while also giving a nod to their Filipino roots, as seen in a video shared by ESPN.
Jordan later shared a photo with Alex on his Instagram Story, writing: “KEEP BEING SPECIAL TWIN, GOODLUCK!! KILL IT!”
Alex reposted the photo and replied: “COMING FROM YOU. DA BEST”
Now, after a memorable night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Alex is set to shift her focus back to competition.
For her US Open singles campaign, Alex will face qualifier and World No. 122 Mary Stoiana in the first round.