I’m here to stay, says Alex Eala despite tough loss at Indian Wells
One of the positives is a new career high as she is set to climb four places to No 28.
Dubai: Alex Eala endured a disappointing outing against 14th seed Linda Noskova in the Round of 16 at the Indian Wells Open on Wednesday, falling 6-0, 6-2.
Despite the heavy defeat, the Filipino tennis star remained upbeat and confident about her place on the tour.
“I’ve grown a lot and I’ve had so many good matches, so many tough losses, and so much experience since then,” Eala was quoted in Tennis365. “That’s helped me build confidence and self-esteem, and I know that I belong here.
“So it doesn’t matter if I win the tournament in Miami or lose in the first round. I know I’m here and I’m here to stay.”
Eala reached the fourth round in her debut at the California tournament after fourth seed Coco Gauff retired from their match. But the 20-year-old struggled against the aggressive play of the Czech Noskova, who broke her serve five times and sealed the victory in under an hour.
“I do leave with happiness,” Eala said. “I think tomorrow I’ll be a bit happier than I am now. Of course, the initial feelings after the match are a tough pill to swallow, but I’m in the fourth round of Indian Wells. I’m really happy about that.
“It’s still something I’m really proud of. I wish it could have ended under different circumstances, but it is what it is and there will be a next time for sure.”
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The world No. 32 opened her campaign with a three-set win over Dayana Yastremska and was leading Gauff 6-2, 2-0 before the American retired with an arm injury.
However, she was unable to match Noskova’s intensity as the 21-year-old repeatedly attacked her serve to dominate the contest.
“I think my experiences here and the matches I played have meant a lot for me,” Eala said. “I’ve been able to bring out a certain level and dig really deep in all circumstances, even tonight.
“It’s a learning experience. Even though I wouldn’t consider today’s match a positive experience, I believe it will have a positive impact on my progression as a player.”
New-career-high ranking
One silver lining from the tournament is a new career-high ranking, with Eala set to climb four spots to world No. 28.
She now turns her focus to the Miami Open, where she enjoyed a breakthrough run last year. At the 2025 event, Eala reached the semi-finals after defeating Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek.
That run helped propel her from outside the top 100 to No. 75, making her the first Filipina to break into the top 100 of the WTA rankings.
“I can’t speak for the future and what will actually happen when I arrive in Miami,” Eala said. “Miami last year was a beautiful time for me and it was the start of all of this, but since then I’ve achieved a lot as well.”
