Jim Courier came away from Iva Jovic and Alex Eala’s US Open battle with a bold thought: tennis might be worth testing with just one serve.

The 14th seed Jovic edged 17th seed Eala 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday night in a third-round match that lasted more than three hours. The contest featured constant momentum swings and plenty of pressure on serve, with 17 breaks across 33 games. Jovic was broken nine times, while Eala was broken eight times.

Speaking on Tennis Channel, the former world No 1 said the match had prompted him to imagine a trial run for a different format.

“I think this is a really interesting match, because both of these players are so fantastic with their movement, and besides their serves, their games are amazing,” said the four-time Grand Slam champion.

He then expanded on the idea, pointing to the level of return and movement on display.

“The first serves, for both of them, really do need to improve, and it got me thinking: this is the match of the tournament on the women’s side — is this not an advertisement for, maybe, let’s do an exhibition sometime, a trial, in eliminating first serves and seeing what happens?

“This tennis was incredible. Sometimes, especially in men’s tennis, it can just be a serve fest, and it’s a little less interesting, it’s more target practice.

“This was strategy, this was athleticism and movement, all over the court. For me, it was like a light bulb went off. Like, this is amazing. How can we get more of this?”

Courier also joked about how such a concept might have applied during his own playing days.

“I [wanted to play with one serve] when I played [Pete] Sampras, but his second serve was basically a first serve, so it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. He’d still crush me (laughs).”

Alex Eala’s 2026 US Open journey came to an end in the third round, yet her New York performance still underlines how far she has climbed this season.

The Filipina was edged 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 by world No 14 Iva Jovic in a tense three-hour contest on Saturday night inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a match that swung repeatedly, with Eala finishing just short after pushing the 16th seed all the way.

Her opening two rounds had been emphatic. Eala began by beating Mary Stoiana 6-1, 6-2, then backed it up with another composed display to defeat Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4. That run marked her second main draw appearance at the US Open, following a second-round showing at last year’s tournament.

After the loss, Eala struck a measured tone in her press conference. “I do think I have grown as a player since the last time we played each other.

“And I definitely think I had my chances in this match. I was able to set myself up for some opportunities, which was great.

“I’m happy with the match. Of course, there’s disappointment in losing, but I’m trying to see the positive side.

“The level in this match was really high. It was a really good match, and congrats to Iva for pushing through.”

She also reflected on the competitive dynamic between the pair, saying: “I don’t think that being friends affects how much we fight on court or how badly we want it.

“It’s just a part of life. We’re friends, but also professionals.”

Eala began the tournament at a career-high world No 18 after collecting eight wins across Washington DC, Toronto and Cincinnati. Following her third-round exit, she has 2,276 ranking points and remains 18th in the Live WTA Rankings.

She sits 40 points behind 17th-placed Naomi Osaka and 114 points behind Jovic, while Emma Navarro and Anastasia Potapova could still move past her if they continue their own runs in New York. From starting the season at No 53, her rise in 2026 has remained notable.

Monday’s US Open discussion has been shaped by several notable storylines from the weekend, with Carlos Alcaraz, Serena and Venus Williams, Alex Eala and Aryna Sabalenka all featuring prominently.

Alcaraz’s quarter-final path became a talking point after his fourth-round win over Tommy Paul. During an ESPN interview, Andy Roddick told him who might be waiting next, and the reaction was immediate. Roddick said: “You’re either going to play [Ben] Shelton or [Stefanos] Tsitispas, maybe just a word on both of them.” Alcaraz responded: “I thought, I thought, oh my God, I thought I was playing [Daniil] Medvedev-[Frances] Tiafoe.”

Elsewhere, Serena Williams and Venus Williams were beaten 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(7) by Chan Hao-Ching and Maya Joint in a tight opening-round doubles match. Their defeat was not the only point of debate. Their post-match behaviour drew strong reaction on the Tennis365 Facebook page, with Tennis365’s Liam McMillen arguing that the sisters should not receive any more wildcards after they opted not to do a post-match press conference.

Roddick also offered praise for Alex Eala after seeing the support around her at the event. Eala’s run ended with a three-set third-round loss to Iva Jovic, but Roddick came away impressed by her fan base. He said: “Fans were into it, cheering for their person, but doing it with class.

“Eala’s fan base is obviously massive. It’s obviously loyal. And I’m sorry, they’re so respectful.”

In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka continues to move through the tournament without dropping a set. The world No 1 and defending champion reached the quarter-finals after a 6-4, 6-3 win over Taylor Townsend, prompting a notable change of view from Annabel Croft. Before the event, Croft had described Sabalenka as “vulnerable”, but after that victory she said: “She is going to take some beating. She doesn’t look as vulnerable as I was expecting. So far, she hasn’t dropped a set and looks in very good shape,” Croft told Sky Sports.