Alex Eala used a US television slot to back friend and rival Coco Gauff’s bid for the US Open title. The Filipino player appeared on CBS Mornings in Manhattan, an appearance BusinessWorld Online described as a historic guesting. Her comments came as the tournament reached the quarterfinal stage, with Gauff still in the draw.
The appearance put Eala in front of a national US audience just days after her own tournament run ended. Instead of dwelling on her own exit, she used the platform to talk about the state of the women’s draw and her hopes for Gauff.
What Eala said about the “highly stacked” quarterfinal draw
“Well, very highly stacked draw at this point in the quarters but I have to say, though, I am rooting for Coco,” Eala said during the segment, according to BusinessWorld Online. Calling the draw “highly stacked” pointed to how much competition Gauff still had to get through to reach the later rounds. Eala’s remarks stuck to personal support for Gauff rather than a breakdown of specific matchups.
Eala’s own US Open run and how it ended before Gauff’s quarterfinal
Eala’s run at the US Open had already ended by the time she sat down for the CBS Mornings interview. Coverage of her exit noted it directly: one report said “Eala mania in New York didn’t end with Alex Eala’s US Open exit, it just moved from the hardcourts to the runway.” Another headline referenced her appearing at New York Fashion Week “after US Open exit,” confirming her tournament had finished before Gauff advanced to the quarterfinal Eala was commenting on.
The available reporting doesn’t name the round or opponent that ended Eala’s run. What’s clear from the source material is the order of events: Eala’s tournament finished first, and her public support for Gauff followed shortly after, timed to Gauff’s own quarterfinal appearance.
The Eala-Gauff friendship on tour and why it matters heading into the latter rounds
Eala chose to publicly back Gauff rather than stay neutral about the rest of the field, which points to a personal relationship between the two players. She specifically named Gauff as the player she was “rooting for” despite a quarterfinal draw she called stacked, a comment that goes beyond generic tournament small talk.
A named endorsement like that from a fellow tour player carries some weight in tennis, where players share locker rooms and compete against each other throughout the season. Delivered on a major US network, Eala’s remarks gave Gauff’s title bid extra visibility at that stage, even though Eala herself was no longer in the draw.
Eala’s post-tournament New York stretch: from CBS Mornings to Fashion Week
Eala’s schedule after her US Open exit moved quickly from broadcast television to the fashion circuit. After the CBS Mornings appearance, she attended New York Fashion Week, in what was described as her NYFW debut, taking in the Tory Burch and Michael Kors spring 2027 ready-to-wear shows.
Front row at Tory Burch alongside Lauryn Hill
At the Tory Burch show, Eala sat front row next to music artist Lauryn Hill, a pairing that drew attention outside the tennis press. The show was described as bringing out “US Open star Alex Eala, music legend Lauryn Hill and more.” The appearance put Eala among entertainment figures just days after competing at Flushing Meadows.
Public reaction to Eala’s NYFW debut
Eala’s fashion week appearances got their own coverage, separate from the tennis commentary. Reports focused on her outfits, including one describing her as turning heads “in black floral dress at New York Fashion Week debut.” Another piece said she “aced her NYFW debut,” borrowing tennis terms to describe how she was received on the fashion side of the trip.
What’s next for Eala: 2026 Asian Games representing the Philippines
Eala’s next confirmed commitment is the 2026 Asian Games, where she’ll represent the Philippines. Reporting on her schedule noted her status for the Games “in Japan later this month” shortly after her US Open exit and New York appearances. The commitment moves her from the individual tour circuit back to representing her country on a multi-sport stage.
The Asian Games fall close on the calendar to her US Open run, giving Eala a quick turnaround from Grand Slam competition and fashion week appearances to national team duty in Japan.
Where Gauff’s title bid stands after the quarterfinals
Gauff’s push for the US Open title was still active at the quarterfinal stage when Eala offered her public support during the CBS Mornings appearance. The draw at that point was, in Eala’s words, “very highly stacked,” a sign of how much competition remained in the women’s field. BusinessWorld Online’s reporting doesn’t specify Gauff’s quarterfinal opponent or outcome beyond confirming she had reached that stage.
What the record shows is the sequence: Eala’s own tournament ended first, she then used a national television appearance to back Gauff over the rest of the field, and her comments went public while Gauff’s quarterfinal was still to be decided. Gauff’s status in the tournament rests on results not detailed in the available coverage, while Eala’s support for her run is already on record.
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