The U.S. Open has a new off-court champion

As the U.S. Open heats up, the women’s bracket is looking particularly thrilling, with contenders like Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Iga Świątek, and crowd favorites like Naomi Osaka and a returning Serena Williams. But whoever comes out on top, the real winner this year may be the 17th-seeded Alex Eala of the Philippines. Snagging the tournament’s iconic trophy would be a long shot for the 21-year-old. But under the media spotlight of the season’s final Grand Slam, Eala’s devoted, vocal,…