Miami Open: Filipina teenager Alexandra Eala stuns five-time grand slam champion Iga Świątek to reach semifinals
The 19-year-old wild card won 6-2, 7-5 thanks to an accomplished display of power and precision, in particular on her lefty forehand and return of serve.
No. 2 seeded Świątek is now the third grand slam champion Eala, the world No. 140, has defeated en route to the last four in Miami, having already taken down Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys.
Eala has continued making Philippines tennis history in Miami, becoming the first Filipina to reach a WTA semifinal. She will also become the first Filipina to break into the world's top 100.
In beating Ostapenko, Eala recorded her and the Philippines' first win over a top-30 player. Both she – and, as a result, her country – now have three.
When Świątek hit her backhand long on match point, Eala turned to face her box with a stunned expression on her face.
'I don't know what to say,' the 19-year-old said in her on-court interview. 'I'm in complete disbelief right now, and I'm on cloud nine.'
While this was the first time Eala and Świątek had faced off on the court, it wasn't the first time the pair had met.
Eala began training at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain when she was 13 years old and, at her graduation ceremony in 2023, Świątek was there as a keynote speaker.
When shown a photo of the two of them standing next to Nadal, Eala's disbelief only grew.
'It's so surreal,' she said, per the WTA. 'I feel like I'm the exact same person as I was in that photo. But of course, circumstances have changed! I'm so happy and so blessed to be able to compete with such a player on this stage.
'My coach told me to run, to go for every ball, to take all the opportunities I can because a five-time (grand) slam champion is not going to give you the win.'
The teenager has long been one of tennis' most exciting prospects, winning the US Open girls' singles title in 2022 and the girls' doubles titles at the 2021 French Open and 2020 Australian Open.
Her 2022 victory vaulted her to stardom back home and led to her gracing the cover of Vogue Philippines soon after.
Eala will next face No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula, who battled past a resurgent Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-2, as she bids for yet more history.
'We are extremely proud of you, Alex,' fellow lefty and 22-time grand slam singles champion Nadal wrote on X. 'What an incredible tournament! Let's keep dreaming!'
In the other semifinal, Aryna Sabalenka will face Jasmine Paolini after the Belarusian world No. 1 extended her unbeaten head-to-head record over Zheng Qinwen to 6-0 with a 6-2, 7-5 win.
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