Teenage wildcard Alexandra Eala achieved a major milestone at the Miami Open, defeating No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek with a score of 6-2, 7-5. This victory marks Eala`s first ever WTA semifinal appearance. In the second set, she impressively recovered from a 4-2 deficit.
In an on-court interview, an excited Eala expressed her disbelief and joy, saying she felt like she was on cloud nine. She was shown a photo from her Rafa Nadal Academy graduation, taken less than two years prior, where she stood alongside Swiatek. This further amplified her shock.
Eala described the situation as surreal, emphasizing that she feels like the same person from the photo, despite the changed circumstances. She conveyed happiness and gratitude for the opportunity to compete against such a high-caliber player. She shared that her coach advised her to be persistent, chase every ball, and seize every chance, as a five-time Grand Slam champion wouldn`t easily concede victory.
Key Statistics of Eala`s Remarkable Upset
At 19 years old, Eala is the first player from the Philippines to reach a semifinal in a major tour event. She is set to become the first Filipina to break into the Top 100 of the WTA rankings next Monday. She is also the third wildcard entrant to reach the Miami semifinals, following Justine Henin in 2010 and Victoria Azarenka in 2018 – both former World No. 1 players returning after breaks.
Eala, currently ranked No. 140, has had an impressive run in Miami, including wins against Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys. She is only the second wildcard player to defeat at least three Grand Slam champions in a single tour-level tournament, a feat previously achieved by Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon 2023. Before Miami, Eala had never beaten a Top 40 opponent, nor faced a Top 20 player; she now boasts two Top 10 wins.
This is only Swiatek`s third defeat to a player ranked outside the Top 100 in a WTA main draw. Her previous losses were against Karolina Muchova (No. 106) at Prague 2019 and Ana Konjuh (No. 338) at Miami 2021.
Eala`s next opponent in her bid for her first WTA final will be either No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula or Emma Raducanu.
How Eala Secured the Victory
The match began intensely, with the first four games lasting over 25 minutes and all reaching deuce at least once. Service breaks occurred in five of the first six games. Eala immediately demonstrated her ability to compete with the five-time major champion and maintain composure even after setbacks in long rallies or when her lead was reduced.
When Swiatek broke back for 3-2 with a backhand winner, it seemed she had gained control. However, Eala responded by winning the next eight points and five consecutive games, taking a 2-0 lead in the second set.
Eala showcased impressive winning shots, particularly her left-handed forehand, which earned her three winners in one game to break for a 3-1 lead in the first set. She also varied her play with backhands and drop shots to secure the first set, often leaving Swiatek unprepared.
At 2-0 in the second set, Eala double-faulted, and Swiatek then executed her best shot of the day, a powerful crosscourt forehand return. The 2022 champion then won four straight games to lead 4-2, but couldn`t maintain this momentum.
Swiatek, who had 19 unforced errors in the first set, added another 13 in the second. While Eala`s consistency initially contributed to these errors, the later part of the second set saw shorter, more erratic rallies. Swiatek failed to serve out the set at 5-4 and faltered in the final game, committing three forehand errors. On Eala`s first match point, a powerful return forced Swiatek`s backhand beyond the baseline, securing Eala`s victory.
