Alex Eala’s planned appearance at the Asian Games is now uncertain, with the WTA appearing to apply a strict approach to exemption requests for players facing scheduling clashes.

Earlier in August, the Philippine Tennis Association said Eala had decided to compete for her country at the event in Nagoya, Japan. Secretary General John Rey Tiangco said: “We’re very excited; it’s confirmed that she is playing the Asian Games.

“We’re very grateful to Alex. She really has a tight schedule. In fact, after the US Open, she’s going to Singapore to play in a WTA 500, and right after Singapore, she has to fly to Nagoya.

“And there are other simultaneous events with the Asian Games, but she chose to play for the flag.”

Eala also spoke positively about representing her country, saying: “I think it’s a really fun environment and I love being with the team.”

The timing creates a clear conflict. The Asian Games are scheduled from 27 September to 3 October, while the China Open, a mandatory WTA 1000 event, begins in Beijing on 28 September. Players need an exemption from the WTA to miss that tournament.

That issue has already affected Janice Tjen, who said she will not be able to play for Indonesia after her request was denied. “After a lot of consideration, I’ve had to make the difficult decision that I won’t be able to compete at the Asian Games this year which take place at the same time as the mandatory WTA 1000 event in Beijing,” the world No 36 announced in an Instagram.

“We have received confirmation from the WTA that unfortunately, I have not been granted an exemption to compete at the Asian Games.”

Philta has also asked for an exemption for Eala, who missed the China Open last year because she did not qualify for the main draw through her ranking, but it has yet to hear back.

If the answer is no, Eala could still choose to play, but that would leave her open to a fine and a points deduction in the WTA Rankings.

There is also a bigger incentive at stake. The singles champion at the Asian Games will secure a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, adding more significance to Eala’s decision.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina will meet again on one of the sport’s biggest stages, with the US Open final set to add another chapter to a rivalry that has repeatedly delivered high-level tennis.

Sabalenka reached the title match with a convincing win over Jessica Pegula, taking control early and closing out a 7-5, 6-2 victory. Rybakina, by contrast, had to dig deeper against Coco Gauff. She responded from a set down to advance and seal her place in a second Grand Slam final this season.

The pair last faced each other in the Australian Open final earlier this year, where Rybakina came out on top. That result only strengthened a matchup that has become one of the most compelling on the WTA Tour.

Their rivalry began at the Wuhan Open in 2019 and has now reached 17 meetings, with Sabalenka holding a 10-7 lead. She built her advantage early, winning six of their first 10 encounters, but Rybakina has steadily produced some of her most important victories in the biggest matches.

At Grand Slam level, they have met three times. Sabalenka won at Wimbledon in 2021 and at the Australian Open in 2023, while Rybakina’s win in this year’s Australian Open final stood out as a significant response.

The closeness of the matchup is also reflected in the scorelines. Ten of their 17 meetings have gone to a deciding set, a clear sign of how little has separated them. Their US Open final will also be only their fifth meeting on American soil, and the balance there has remained even.

Rybakina has beaten Sabalenka at Indian Wells and the Cincinnati Open, while Sabalenka has defeated Rybakina at Indian Wells and the Miami Open. With that history behind them, the 2026 US Open final promises another tight contest between two of the leading players in the game.

Ben Shelton left Arthur Ashe Stadium with the biggest win of his US Open run, then chose to focus on the quality of the opponent he had just beaten. After getting past Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set quarter-final, Shelton said the Spaniard was “one of the greatest champions in our sport”.

The world No 9 prevailed 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(7) in a match that lasted four hours and 28 minutes and ended at 3:33am at Flushing Meadows. The result came after Shelton had lost his previous three meetings with Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam champion and the defending US Open winner.

For Shelton, 23, the victory sends him into a second US Open semi-final. He also reached that stage in 2023. His next match will be against Frances Tiafoe on Friday.

In his post-match remarks, Shelton made clear how demanding the contest had been. Asked how he was feeling after five long sets, he said: “Yeah, I’m tired. You know, that was a war, an epic match. I mean, so physical. And yeah, Carlos, one of the greatest champions in our sport already at 23 years old. It’s always fun being on the court against him. It’s ridiculous some of the stuff he comes up with sometimes. But yeah, the most enjoyable match that I’ve had in my career, for sure.”

He also reflected on the first-set tiebreak and the frustration of seeing a set slip away after such a long opening stretch. “No, I was, yeah, I was p***ed. But I broke the last game before the tiebreaker. So that kind of helped my confidence going into the second set. I knew that my serve was only going to get better. And if I’d already dialled in the return to the point that I could break him, I thought my chances were good to get that second set. And once I got rolling in the second set, broke him three times in that set. It was a lot easier to just play and swing more freely.”

Shelton pointed to his returning and his ability to stay composed in the rallies as other reasons for the result. He also said the experience with his father courtside was something to enjoy regardless of the outcome. Looking ahead to Friday, he added: “Two days, yeah, I think I’ll be all right.”