To tennis player Alexandra ealaonly 19 years old, continues to shine in the WTA de Miami. This Wednesday (03/26), she beat Polish Iga Swiatek, number 2 of the world, with partials of 6/2 and 7/5, in 1h39 starting, qualifying for the semifinals.
Eala entered the competition as 140th of the worldbut it is certain that it will be in the top 100 of the WTA ranking after the tournament. In addition to hitting Swiatk, the Philippine had already won two other Grand Slam champions: Jelena Ostapapeno Madison Keys.
SHE’S ONLY GONE AND DONE IT!!!!!!!! 🇵🇭
Filipino wildcard Alexandra Eala stuns World No. 2 Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 to reach the last 4 in Miami!
– WTA (@WTA)
A curious point about Eala is that she trains at the Academy of Rafael Nadal. Learn more about the athlete.
Alexandra Eala: Career
Alexandra Eala, born on May 23, 2005 in Quezon City, in the Philippines, is left -handed and is 1.75m. She started playing tennis at the age of four, influenced by her grandfather, former player and coach, and her older brother Miko, who played tennis at Pennsylvania State University in the United States.
In 2018, at age 13, Eala joined Rafa Nadal Academy, Spain, to improve his skills. In graduation, he received a certificate from the hands of the legendary Spanish tennis player.
His dedication resulted in remarkable achievements in the youth circuit, including the victory at US Open Youth in 2022, becoming the first Philippine to win a juvenile Grand Slam title.
The transition to the professional circuit was marked by challenges and gradual progress. In 2023, Eala debuted in Australian Open qualifiers and received invitations to the Miami and Madrid tournaments. In the same year, it reached 191st in the world ranking and won two bronze medals in the Asian Games: one in simple and one in the mixed pairs alongside Francis Alcantara.
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In 2024, Eala continued his ascension, obtaining remarkable victories, as his first WTA 1000 tournament against Lesia Tsurenko in Madrid (ESP). In addition, he won titles in simple and doubles in Vitoria-Gasteiz (ESP), raising his ranking to 143º Simple and 208th in pairs in July 2024.
The apex of his career so far has occurred at the 2025 Miami Open. Entering the tournament as a guest and ranking 140th in the ranking, Eala surprised to defeat three Grand Slam champions: Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. The victory over Swiatk, number two in the world, assured Eala an unprecedented place in the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament, becoming the first Philippine tennis player to achieve such a feat.
“My coach told me to run, to go on all the ball, to take the opportunities, because the owner of five Grand Slams won’t give you the victory,” said Eala after eliminating Swiatk.
The Miami semifinal will be this Thursday (27/03), against Jessica Pegula (4th of the world) or Emma Raducanu (60th). The time has not yet been defined.
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