NEW YORK — The first real test in the match came in the first game of the first set, the score 30-30.
Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old sensation from the Philippines, ranked 18th in the world, awaited a second serve from Mary Stoiana, a 23-year-old American underdog. It was the first round of the U.S. Open, and Eala’s famous legion of fans filled Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday, waving Philippine flags and cheering every point like a championship victory.
