Filipino teenager Alexandra Eala earns praise from Rafael Nadal

Dubai: Miami, where the heat isn’t just from the sun but from the rising stars. At just 19, Filipino teenager Alexandra Eala has defied the odds, blazing through the early rounds of the Miami Open. As she strides into uncharted territory, her journey has captured the imagination of fans and players alike — and she’s not stopping here. The quarter-finals await, where she’ll face world No 2 Iga Swiatek in a showdown that could define her future in tennis.

World No 140 Eala advanced to the quarter-finals without breaking a sweat after No 10 seed Paula Badosa pulled out of the clash due to a lower back injury. The 19-year-old has been basking in the glory of Miami’s sunshine.

She made waves with a gritty 7-6, 7-5 victory over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the round of 64. Eala then followed it up by knocking out Australian Open champion and No 5 seed Madison Keys in the next round, marking the best-ever performance by a player from the Philippines in the Open Era.

A product of Rafael Nadal’s Academy in Mallorca, Eala has added her name to the growing list of students from the illustrious academy. Nadal himself has praised her performance: “Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for [the Philippines],” he wrote on X.

Growing up in Quezon City, Eala began playing tennis at a young age and gained recognition by winning the prestigious Les Petit As tournament at just 12 years old in 2018. That same year, she joined the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain.

Before this tournament, Eala had never previously won three consecutive matches at any tour-level event. The victories over Ostapenko and Keys are her first two Top 40 wins.

Competing in her sixth WTA 1000 event, Eala will now face former Miami champion Swiatek, who defeated No. 22 seed Elina Svitolina with a hard-fought 7-6(5), 6-3 victory. Swiatek needed 2 hours and 5 minutes to battle past former World No. 3 Svitolina, completing the quarter-final line-up at the year’s fourth WTA 1000 event.

Swiatek is eyeing her second Miami Open title — she won this event in 2022 to complete the Sunshine Double (winning Indian Wells and Miami in the same year). The only other women to achieve the Sunshine Double are Stefanie Graf (twice), Kim Clijsters, and Victoria Azarenka.

Swiatek will be the third Grand Slam singles champion Eala faces this fortnight, and no matter the outcome, the Filipino teenager has already made her mark. The praise she’s received from Nadal is just the beginning — it’s a testament to her skill and resilience. Eala has already achieved something remarkable, and the Miami Open has shown that this could be just the start of an incredible career.