Alex Eala will face Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round of the US Open with the two set to square off on Louis Armstrong Stadium on Thursday evening.

The seventeenth-seeded Eala secured her place in the round of 64 at Flushing Meadows with a clinical 6-1, 6-2 win against qualifier Mary Stoiana while Oliynykova defeated wildcard Reese Brantmeier 6-4, 6-4.

The pair will now meet for the second time in their careers following their round of 32 encounter on the clay in Strasbourg in May this year, with Oliynykova winning that match 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Asked about facing Oliynykova following their meeting earlier in the year, Eala said: “Yes, it was a really good match. I mean, very intense, quite tight.

“I think, looking back at that match, there are a lot of things that I could have done better and I think I’ve been working on since then. It’s been a couple months. I think I’ve developed a lot in said months.

“So all I can do is come into that match with the same mindset as today, the same mindset or even better than the mindset I’ve been having these past couple of weeks and try to do my best.”

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Who Is Oleksandra Oliynykova?

The Ukrainian sits at No 46 in the WTA Rankings, two spots above her previous ranking that she achieved just a few weeks before the start of the US Open.

The 25-year-old only made her Grand Slam debut at the start of 2026, losing in the first round at the Australian Open before reaching the third round of the French Open.

Oliynykova, who turned professional in 2026, is yet to reach a WTA Tour singles final, but she has won three titles at WTA 125K level with all three events taking place on clay in 2025.

Oliynykova’s Facial Tattoos

Sashka – as she is known by those close to her – went viral during her Australian Open debut earlier this year for her flower tattoos on her face while she is also heavily inked on her neck and arms.

But the tattoos on her face are not real as she explained: “It’s the temporary tattoos. It’s temporary tattoos. I take them off after the match with, like, cleansing oil. And it doesn’t have meaning, because I just got some fun idea at the US Open.

“I was going shopping, and I saw this, like, face tattoo, these fake tattoos. Then I started to change them.

“I played with stars, with hearts, now it’s flowers. Yeah, it’s part of the style. Maybe you saw it was matching the outfit and the court, as well. Blue dress, blue flowers, blue court.”

But some of the ink on her neck and arms can’t be wiped away.

Oliynykova also made headlines with her T-shirt at Melbourne Park as it read: “I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here.”

She has been outspoken about Russia’s invasion of her home country, and it is no surprise as her father is a soldier in the Ukrainian army.

“He is my biggest supporter and has been since childhood. I’m so proud of him and that’s something that’s keeping me motivated even more,” she explained. “After he joined the military, I have improved my ranking over 200 places.

“I know it was his dream to see me on this court and I would do everything to make him proud.”

The flower tattoos on her face disappeared after her Melbourne appearance and were replaced by sparkles.

No Handshake

A few weeks after the Australian Open, Oliynykova again made headlines, this time at the Transylvania Open as she refused to shake hands with Anna Bondar as the Hungarian played in an exhibition tournament in Russia.

“This is about humanity, human dignity, and basic human values. I cannot ignore this,” she stated.

“The global tennis community should not ignore it. Fans should not forget about it. That is why I cannot bring myself to take photos or shake hands with a person who has received money from sources directly linked to the war against my country.”

And she continued her criticism of Russian players at the French Open as she had accused Diana Shnaider of liking Russian propaganda posts on social media.

After losing against Shnaider at Roland Garros, Oliynykova read the following statement: “I know that some people disagree with my actions. I know that some people would prefer that I stay silent. But what I do is not about politics; it’s about humanity.

“When people are being killed, while children are dying, when violence is justified or celebrated, we cannot pretend that nothing is happening. We cannot look away.”