Alex Eala, the 21-year-old tennis player, is set to begin her US Open campaign as the Philippines' highest-ranked player ever, holding the No 18 position. Her opening match is scheduled for Tuesday night against American qualifier Mary Stoiana at the 14,053-seat Armstrong stadium.
Eala's off-court earnings for the past year are estimated by Forbes to exceed $5m, alongside $1.7m in prize money. Her agent has predicted she could become the world's second-highest-paid female athlete by 2027.
This year, Eala secured her first tour-level title at the DC Open. Her run to the title included victories over world No 9 Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, and top-seeded Jessica Pegula. At Wimbledon in July, she defeated defending champion Iga Świątek in straight sets on Centre Court.
Eala will conclude the year with an exhibition match in December at the Philippine Arena. The event aims to attract 52,000 fans, potentially breaking the record for the most-attended tennis match.