Alex Eala continued her remarkable run at the Miami Open in stunning fashion Thursday, keeping Manila tennis fans awake into the wee hours of the morning, as she shocked world number 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek of Poland to secure a spot in the semifinals in one of two US tennis tournaments that form the “Sunshine Swing.”
At just 19 years old, Eala showed a maturity well beyond her years, blending patience, composure, and unshakeable mental toughness. Throughout the match, the wild card entry from Quezon City relentlessly pressed from the baseline, waiting for Swiatek, the Polish powerhouse, to crack under pressure.
Eala seized control of the match, forcing Swiatek into an astonishing 32 unforced errors while committing just 12 of her own. In the opening set, Swiatek faltered with 19 unforced errors, enabling Eala to rally back from dropping the first game and win three consecutive games to eventually claim the set.
In the second set, the Filipino teenager displayed immense grit. Trailing 2-4, Eala mounted a fierce comeback, leveling the score at 4-4 before clinching the match with a gripping tiebreaker. Eala’s precision was evident, converting 8 out of 10 break points, while Swiatek capitalized on 5 out of 9 break opportunities.
“My coach told me to run, to go for every ball, to take every opportunity I can because a five-time Slam champion won’t just give it to you,” Eala said, her voice filled with disbelief after the match. “I’m on cloud nine… I’m so happy and blessed to compete with such a player at this level.”
Eala entred the match with a heavily bandaged left thigh, which has apparently been strained even before she beat World No. 5 and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys. Eala had a day to rest after world number 10 Paula Badosa withdrew from their Round of 16 match set Monday (Tuesday morning in Manila) due to back injury.
Ranked 140th in the world, Eala is set to break into the Top 100 following this stunning performance at the Miami Open, which alongside Indian Wells, forms the grueling “Sunshine Swing” of U.S. tennis. The new rankings is set to be updated at the end of March.
The 5-foot-9 left-hander will face Jessica Pegula of the U.S. in the semifinals after Pegula’s hard-fought victory over Britain’s Emma Raducanu, ranked 60th, in three sets: 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2.
Pegula had the opportunity to close out the match early, but Raducanu fought back, saving four set points to win the tiebreak. The British tennis star continued to battle on despite receiving medical treatment in the humid playing conditions.
The other semifinal will feature Belarus-born World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, ranked 6th in the world. The two will meet on Friday, Manila time, while the Eala-Pegula showdown is set for March 28.
Eala is now the first Filipina to reach the semifinals of a WTA tour event. She now joins an elite list of wild card entries, which previously only included tennis stars Justine Henin and Victoria Azarenka, both former World No. 1s.
