“I’m in complete disbelief right now, I’m on cloud nine,” Alexandra Eala, the 19-year-old Filipino sensation said on Wednesday after sending shockwaves across tennis community. The World No.140 ousted five-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.1 Iga Swiatek in the Miami Open QF round, in straight sets. With that, she reached her maiden WTA 1000 semifinal. While her journey is now over, after losing to World No.4 Jessica Pegula on Thursday, Eala’s heroics have earned her huge praise from the WTA legend Chris Evert who’s in awe of this emerging talent.
Before going down against Pegula, Eala gave her a run for her money. The American seemed all set for a cruise when she took the first set 7-6(3). But the teenager had other plans. Eala forced the battle into a decider clinching the second set 7-5. And even in the decider, the Filipino showed her never-give-up spirit, but Pegula’s experience eventually got eventually got her through. Pegula was at Advantage at 5-3 when Eala hit a stroke toward the net, granting the No.4 seed a ticket to her first Miami final.
Before the result, when the match was evenly poised, the 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert couldn’t resist herself from appreciating the teenaged Filipino. After Eala bounced back in the second set, Evert wrote on X, “Incredible that Alex Eala still has anything left in her considering the teen has beaten 3 Grand Slam Champs..”
Incredible that Alex Eala still has anything left in her considering the teen has beaten 3 Grand Slam Champs..
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) March 28, 2025
For the unversed, Eala overcame three former Slam winners during her Miami Open run. She eliminated the 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostakpenko in R64. While that itself was a remarkable result, she didn’t stop there. The Filipino then ousted this season’s Australian Open champion Madison Keys in R32. Taking a direct entry in the QF, due to her opponent Paula Badosa walking over, Eala ended up pulling off an upset against Iga Swiatek as well.
Do you know that Iga has got an interesting history with the Pole? And it goes back to 2023!
Alexandra Eala reveals her experience of meeting Iga Swiatek, as an opponent, after two years
Back in 2023, Alexandra Eala graduated from the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca. And guess what? During the ceremony, Iga Swiatek was present as a commencement speaker. In fact, they both were even pictured together, alongside the Spanish maestro Nadal himself. That time, the teenager didn’t have an idea she would face the WTA icon in a few years and beat her.
After her QF encounter against Swiatek, Eala sat down for a press conference, dated March 26. When asked about the ceremony and meeting the four-time Roland Garros champion, she revealed, “Yeah, she was a guest speaker and celebrity guest. I think every year the academy tries to invite a public figure I guess to inspire the kids and to super inspire. I thought I was super lucky to have her during my graduation. She just came off I think a slam win also, Roland Garros, if I remember correctly.”
Continuing further she added, “I remember that I walked up and she was, like, Oh, I know you. I have seen you. I was, like, Yes (smiling). Then she even did the whole ceremony with the whole class, tossed the hat, and I was so lucky, because I was, like, beside her.” And what about playing her now in a professional competition? Eala responded, “Yeah, it’s super surreal to think that the circumstances have changed, I’m facing her on court. I’m blessed to have that opportunity.”
Following her stunning win over the Pole, even Nadal expressed his admiration for the Filipino. On X, he wrote, “We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming! ”
Despite the loss to Pegula in the SF, Eala can keep her head high. Going into future WTA events of 2025, she will definitely be high on confidence. What are your thoughts on this 19-year-old rising phenom? Let us know in the comments below.
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