Alex Eala and Jordan Clarkson just had a “proud Pinoy” moment at the US Open, and the clip of their warm embrace is making the rounds. Two of the country’s biggest sports exports crossed paths in New York ahead of the women’s singles draw, and the exchange had Filipino fans, and Eala herself, beaming.
Two Filipino stars, one big sporting stage
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson met Alex Eala at Flushing Meadows on Thursday, a meeting captured in a video shared by the US Open on social media. The two shared a warm embrace, and a conversation that began with congratulations quickly turned into a back-and-forth about representing the Philippines on the world stage.
“Thanks for coming. Congratulations! I’m late to the party,” Eala told him in the clip. Clarkson replied, “Congratulations to you!”
Eala’s breakthrough year
Eala is in New York for her US Open campaign after earning the No. 17 seed in the women’s singles. She arrives fresh off a career-best climb to No. 18 in the WTA rankings, the highest singles ranking ever reached by a Filipino player, plus her first WTA singles championship this season.
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| US Open 2026 seed | No. 17 (women’s singles) |
| Career-best WTA ranking | No. 18 (highest ever for a Filipino) |
| 2026 breakthrough | First WTA singles title |
“Don’t make me blush!”
The conversation carried the easy warmth of two athletes who know exactly what it feels like to compete with a nation’s hopes on their shoulders. Clarkson, who represented the Philippines at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila, told Eala he was proud of the Filipino support he saw in the stands.
“I mean, the stadium looked great,” he said. “There’s a lot of Filipino flags in there, so I’m proud of you.” Eala, visibly delighted, replied, “Don’t make me blush!”
The encouragement spilled online too. Clarkson shared a photo of the two posing with their arms crossed and wrote, “Keep being special twin, goodluck!! Kill it!” with a Philippine flag and a teary-eyed emoji. Eala reposted it with “Coming from you” and “Da best.”
Basketball crazy, tennis leading the way
Eala acknowledged basketball’s hold on the Philippines, to which Clarkson shot back, “You leading the way for tennis.” Eala answered, “I’m trying to make it bigger. I’ll do my part.” It is the same reciprocal energy that has defined a memorable week: Eala faced best friend Iva Jovic in the Stars of the Open exhibition at Arthur Ashe Stadium, while her December homecoming match is already on the calendar at the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena.
For two athletes who have spent the summer putting Philippine sport on the map, the meeting was a small but meaningful crossover moment at one of the biggest stages in American sport. #AlexEala #JordanClarkson #USOpen #PinoyPride
