Eala-Jovic showdown upgraded to Arthur Ashe amid strong ticket demand

NEW YORK - The highly anticipated US Open showdown between Filipino tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala and American rising star Iva Jovic will be played on the sport’s biggest stage Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 5.

The third-round match had been expected to draw another huge crowd following the massive fan support surrounding Eala at Flushing Meadows. Arthur Ashe Stadium, which seats more than 23,000 spectators, is the largest tennis stadium in the world.

The move to the US Open’s main stadium comes amid soaring demand for tickets to Eala’s matches and growing “Ealamania” in New York. Reports earlier in the tournament noted that organizers had been assigning Eala to larger courts to accommodate the unusually large crowds following the Filipina star.

Eala played her first two main-draw matches at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the tournament’s second-largest venue with a capacity of around 14,000.

Her showdown with Jovic is scheduled for 7 p.m. New York time on Saturday, or 7 a.m. Sunday, September 6, in the Philippines.

It will not be the first time Eala and Jovic have shared Arthur Ashe Stadium. The close friends faced each other there during the Stars of the Open exhibition on August 27, when their matchup drew an enthusiastic crowd during US Open Fan Week.

This time, however, the stakes are much higher.

The winner will advance to the fourth round, or Round of 16, of the US Open, as Eala continues her historic run in front of an increasingly vocal Filipino fan base.

Arthur Ashe Stadium has traditionally been reserved for the tournament’s biggest stars and marquee matches, making Eala’s appearance on center stage another indication of her rapidly growing drawing power on the international tennis circuit.