Brad Gilbert has argued that Alex Eala’s serve is holding her back after her US Open run came to an end.

Eala’s third-round meeting with American Iva Jovic delivered one of the tournament’s standout contests, as the two young players battled for more than three hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 18-year-old eventually prevailed 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, rallying from a break down in the deciding set. Gilbert called it the match of the tournament, while former US Open quarter-finalist Ajla Tomljanović labeled it the match of the year.

The performance again brought Eala’s serve under scrutiny. In late July, Rennae Stubbs said the Filipina would not be able to win a Grand Slam if her serve did not improve significantly, a stance the Australian has since partly softened.

Greg Rusedski has suggested that Eala has the potential to reach the top of the WTA rankings and win a major in the future. Gilbert, however, believes the serve is the first area that must be corrected.

Speaking on the Big T podcast, he said Eala’s delivery would be difficult to survive on the men’s tour and pointed to the pace of her first serve. He urged a major increase in speed and said too many points begin with what he described as a serve that gives away the advantage immediately.

He said on the Big T podcast, “So what you were seeing from Eala last night (Saturday), it would be impossible to get away with that on the men’s side. She’s throwing in 73mph first serves.

“So that would be the first thing from the coaching standpoint that you would really try to focus on. It’s like, OK, I understand throwing in… I call it the three quarter serve, but let’s go 103. Let’s go 105. I feel like she hits way too many serves where she just literally hits a fifth serve and gets the point started.

“It’s like you start with no serve. That’s what she does a lot of points with. She just starts with no serve, that shot needs a lot of work. And she also doesn’t have a can opener lefty serve.

“My brain is thinking if she could improve her serve dramatically, I think her game will go up exponentially. But I think that is a shot she has to improve.”

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.