Alex Eala has become one of the most watched names in women’s tennis over the past few months, and she arrived at the US Open with growing status behind her. The Filipina has risen quickly over the last 18 months, climbing the rankings and building a large following along the way.

That surge has carried into the tournament itself. Posts about Eala have generated strong engagement on social media, while her appearances on the official US Open YouTube and Instagram accounts have been the most viewed of the event so far.

With attention comes expectation, and Eala now faces the challenge of handling that spotlight. In New York, she has added a notable source of experience to her team in Toni Nadal, whose background with Rafael Nadal gives him a deep understanding of the demands at the top level. He has been part of Eala’s development through her training at the Nadal Academy in Mallorca.

Even with that high-profile presence, Joan Bosch remains her main coach. Bosch has worked with Eala at the Mallorca Academy and brings significant experience of his own, having also coached former world number one and Grand Slam champion Carlos Moya.

Eala described the relationship clearly when she said, “Joan, who’s here with me, is my confidant,” said Eala. “I trust him a lot, as well as my team who’s back home.”

Bosch is familiar with Toni Nadal’s role at the academy and the perspective he can offer from years around elite tennis. Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski also pointed to the value Toni Nadal could bring, stressing his direct manner and long record of success.

As Eala continues to attract attention, the structure around her in New York suggests a player trying to balance rapid rise with steady guidance.

The US Open has long separated itself from the other majors, and not only because of its size and atmosphere. It is one of the most heavily attended events on the calendar, with crowds that are often louder and more animated than those at the other Grand Slams.

It also stands apart through its ball policy. Unlike Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the Australian Open, the tournament uses different tennis balls for the men’s and women’s draws. The women use a more standard ball, while the men use a heavier duty version. That distinction has come back into focus this year because of Carlos Alcaraz’s wrist injury.

Alcaraz hurt his wrist at the Barcelona Open in April and the US Open is his first singles tournament since then. Discussing the issue on Sky Sports, Tim Henman explained why the event has maintained the rule.

“At Wimbledon they use the same ball. At the Australian Open, and all other tournaments they use the same ball.

“I think it’s somewhat unique to this event, but when they did use the same ball, I think it was a request from the WTA because the women used the extra duty felt and they didn’t like it so much so they went back to the normal ball.”

Naomi Broady, who appeared on the Sky Sports Tennis panel with Henman, said the issue could affect Alcaraz as he returns to competition.

“I think for me as well, does it intertwine with the conversation on the ATP Tour regarding the injuries and how many wrist injuries they have and should they be playing with a ball that is heavier? Would they be better of with a lighter ball?

“You’re then going to have shorter rallies because it’s harder to control, it’s going to move faster through the air, so there serves are going to be bigger, it’s going to be tougher to get returns and extend those longer rallies.

“But the way men’s tennis is going and how many injuries we’re seeing, I think it is a call from the players. Firstly to have a consistent ball used across the Tour. There are so many variables. Not only are tennis courts changing week to week, but the ball is as well.

“So some weeks the ball is going to fly faster through the air, sometimes it’s slower and you feel like it’s not leaving your strings. I think the request from the men is to stop using the really heavy balls, not to say the US Open is necessarily one of them, but it’s certainly heavier than the women’s and I don’t think it helps the likes of Alcaraz and the guys who have had those injuries.”

The subject has surfaced before. In 2022, at the Cincinnati Open, Iga Swiatek questioned the logic behind the difference.

“Fifteen years ago probably women had some elbow injuries because the balls were heavier and they changed them to women’s balls,” said the Pole.

“But right now we are so physically well prepared that I don’t think it would happen. I feel, it’s really hard to control them, but everybody has the same conditions, so we are trying to deal with that. I don’t get why they are different, honestly.”

The US Open changed the rule again in 2023, yet the debate has returned at Flushing Meadows.

Carlos Alcaraz made a winning return to singles in the first round of the US Open, ending a four-and-a-half-month wait for a match victory. The Spaniard beat Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a composed display that showed little sign of rust after his absence from the sport.

Alcaraz was never seriously threatened by the Russian, and the match unfolded almost as well as he could have hoped given that he had not played a warm-up event before the Grand Slam. For a player returning after such a long layoff, the performance underlined both his quality and his ability to settle quickly back into competition.

Alex Corretja, a long-time admirer of Alcaraz, was encouraged by what he saw, but he also pointed to possible difficulties ahead. Speaking to Eurosport Spain, Corretja assessed the first-round win in New York and suggested that the biggest obstacles for the world No 3 may be psychological rather than physical as the tournament progresses.

The former world No 2 described Alcaraz as ‘very solid’ against Safiullin and said he deserved credit for producing such a level after four and a half months away from action. Even so, Corretja believes the key issue for the Spaniard is managing the pressure of returning to a major stage after injury and limited training.

“I saw him as I expected, but with the understandable doubts he himself mentioned. It’s a mental issue, because you start to doubt how you’re going to perform, whether you’ll have second thoughts or feel any discomfort again,” said Corretja.

“This is much more complicated than riding a bike… Stepping onto a track with 25,000 people watching you, after so many months of injury and hardly being able to train. We must urge caution so that this doesn’t overwhelm him,” continued the Spaniard.

Alcaraz remains among the favourites for the title and has already seen his route improve after early exits reshaped the draw. He was due to meet Novak Djokovic in the semi finals, but that path is gone after Djokovic’s defeat to Mariano Navone. Arthur Fils and Cameron Norrie were also possible quarter-final opponents, yet both have been beaten. For now, Ben Shelton or Jiri Lehecka appear the likeliest candidates in the last eight, while Tommy Paul or Alexander Bublik could stand in the way before that. Alcaraz will hope to keep moving through the draw and build match fitness as the tournament reaches its later rounds.