In what can only be described as a fairy-tale run, 19-year-old Alexandra Eala has etched her name in the history books with a stunning performance at the 2025 Miami Open. The young Filipina, a wild card entry ranked 140th in the world, shocked the tennis world by defeating world No. 2 Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 26, marking one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
“I think I’ve been loving the way that I’m out there on court, trusting my shots,” Eala told Tennis Channel in a post-match interview. “I have a great team that tells me I can do it.”
With this victory, Eala became the first Filipino player to reach a tour-level semifinal and the first Filipina to defeat a top-10 player in the Open Era. Her historic achievement also sees her match the best result ever by a wild card at the Miami Open.
Eala’s path to the semifinals has been nothing short of remarkable. She secured wins over Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko and world No. 10 Madison Keys—her first-ever victory over a top-10 opponent—before receiving a walkover from Paula Badosa. Now, with her latest triumph over Swiatek, the young Filipina is set to break into the WTA Top 100 for the first time in her career, projected to rise to at least No. 75.
For the entire match, Eala broke Swiatek’s service game 8 out of 10 times. Asked about her strategy in returning the serve, Eala said, “Take it early and not be afraid. I think not being afraid to miss is key. So it’s normal that I would miss some, frame some, or send some out but I cannot be afraid to continue doing what I know I have to do.”
Trained at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca for the past six years, Eala’s talent and resilience have been on full display throughout the tournament. Her ability to challenge some of the sport’s biggest names has solidified her status as one of the brightest young stars in women’s tennis.
After her win against Ostapenko in the second round, Eala’s graduation photo at the Nadal Academy in Mallorca became viral. She was in between Rafa himself and Iga Swiatek, who was a special guest for the ceremonies.
“It’s crazy because when I look at this picture, I’m the same girl, but the circumstances have changed so much,” Eala shared. “I always knew that one day I would have the chance to play her, but I didn’t know it would happen this week.”
Asked about how much faith has played in her journey so far, she responded quickly.
“I think faith, belief, and self-esteem all come as a package. That’s what gets you through the tough times, and belief is what pushes you through moments like this,” she said.
Regardless of the outcome of her semifinals match on Thursday, March 27, Eala’s inspiring run in Miami has already cemented her as a rising force in the sport. As to what it would take to win a couple of matches for the trophy, she said everything.
“It will take everything. Just because I won this match or the match before doesn’t mean the next one will be any less tough. If anything, it’ll be even tougher, so it will take everything I have,” Eala said.
