Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old tennis player from the Philippines, received an impressive 78 percent of the fan vote to be named the Star of the Hard-Court Swing. Eala claimed her first WTA Tour title during this period in Washington, D.C., overcoming a tough draw. She defeated Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen and defending champion Leylah Fernandez in the early rounds, followed by notable victories over Top 10 player Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to reach the final.
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In the championship match, Eala came back from a set down to defeat top seed Jessica Pegula, winning the decisive set 6-0. This victory allowed her to enter the Top 20 of the PIF WTA Rankings for the first time, currently holding the 18th position.
Eala also participated in an intense match at the US Open, losing in three sets to Iva Jovic. Their dramatic encounter, held in Arthur Ashe Stadium, ended with a heartfelt moment as Eala embraced Jovic after the match.
Elena Rybakina finished second in the voting with 16 percent, following a transformative Hard-Court Swing. Despite an ankle injury in Cincinnati that raised concerns about her US Open participation, Rybakina won her first US Open, marking her third major title and taking the No. 1 spot in the world rankings, surpassing Aryna Sabalenka. Earlier in the swing, she also reached the final in Toronto.
Other contenders for the Star of the Swing title included Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Taylor Townsend, Sabalenka, Jovic, and Diane Parry. The Asian Swing, the last segment of the season before the year-end WTA Finals, started this week in Singapore and Seoul, and will run until November 8. The WTA Finals at Indian Wells will take place from November 8 to November 15.