MIAMI, FLORIDA/MANILA – Sports leaders and enthusiasts the world over lauded Filipina teener Alex Eala for her impressive performance in the just concluded Miami Open where she toppled big names and entered the semi-finals.

With her performance, described by the sporting world as “Cinderella run” or “dream run,” Eala moved up from 140 to 75 in the world tennis ranking.

Aside from winning about $300,000 or about P19 million in prize money, as a semifinalist in the World Tennis Association tourney, Eala earned world respect and put the. Philippines in tennis map.

With her performance, Eala also earned outright spot at the Grand Slam events without going through the qualifiers. This means Eala could finally compete at the French Open in May, the Wimbledon in June and the US Open in August.

Eala defeated three Grand Slam winners in the Miami Open, a first for any Filipino netter.

In the Philippines, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. lauded Filipina tennis sensation.

“We would like to congratulate our tennis phenomenon, Alex Eala, on her historic and amazing run in the 2025 Miami Open,” Marcos said in a statement.

“We are one with the entire nation in thanking Alex for her sacrifices and hard work in her quest for glory and honor. I’m sure that the elusive championship title is within reach soon.”

The President praised Eala for showing the world the skills and talents of a Filipino athlete.

He said Eala’s unprecedented feat serves as an inspiration to everyone, especially to ordinary Filipinos who have the “same grit and determination.”

“Truly, what you did showed the whole world what a Filipino athlete is all about – determined, steadfast, and never the one to back away from any challenges,” Marcos told Eala.

Eala reached the semifinal round after defeating world No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek at the Hard Rock Stadium early Thursday (Philippine time).

Her historic run also included wins over unseeded American Katie Volynets, as well as two other Grand Slam champions – 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys of the United States.

Eala, however, fell short against world no. 4 Jessica Pegula in the semifinals of the Miami Open on Friday.

In a separate statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Eala still made the country proud and showed the world a “great fight,” despite her loss to Pegula in their semifinal bout.

“Alex surmounted a string of setbacks in her journey to be among the best in the Miami Open 2025. Through her sheer persistence, Alex proved that anything is possible,” the PCO said.

“We, Filipinos, are like Alex. We are all tenacious in the toughest of environments. We thrive and excel in the harshest conditions all over the world.” 

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MIAMI, FLORIDA/MANILA – Filipino wild card Alexandra Eala is making history as she conquerred top players and stunned world no.2 Iga Swiatek to enter the semi-finals of the Miami Open, the first Filipina to do so.

 Earlier, Eala entered the quarter finals after world No. 10 Paula Badosa didn’t show up in their game.

The teenage Filipina wildcard stunned Swiatek 6-2 7-5 and will now play either fourth seed Jessica Pegula or Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the finals.

World No 140 Eala broke further ground in Miami by becoming the first player from the Philippines to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final.

Eala has now beaten three grand slam champions on her way to the final four; having previously beaten reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, Eala did not blink as she knocked out five-time grand slam winner Swiatek in straight sets.

World No. 140 Eala, competing in her sixth WTA 1000 event, was scheduled to meet Badosa in the fourth round Tuesday (Philippine time) but the Spaniard withdrew due to a lower back injury.

Eala, the 2022 junior US Open champion, pulled off a 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. 5 seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys, while Badosa prevailed over No. 20 seed Clara Tuason, 6-3, 7-6 (3), in the round of 16 on Sunday.

Eala will be up against No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland, who defeated No. 22 seed Elina Svitolina, 7-6 (5), 6-3

Swiatek will be the third Grand Slam singles champion that Eala will meet in the tournament. She defeated 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, 7-6 (2), 7-5, in the second round.

Meanwhile, Magda Linette of Poland ousted No. 3 seed Coco Gauff of the United States, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals.

Also advancing were No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka, who beat No. 14 seed Danielle Collins of the US, 6-4, 6-4; No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula of the US, who beat No. 23 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, 6-3, 6-3; Emma Raducanu of Great Britain, who conquered Amanda Anisimova of the US, 6-1, 6-3; No. 6 Jasmine Paolini of Italy, who rallied past Naomi Osaka of Japan, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; and No. 9 Qinwen Zheng of China, who scored a 6-2, 7-6 (3) victory over Ashlyn Kruger of the US. 

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MIAMI, FLORIDA/MANILA – The Philippines’ Alexandra Eala is through to the fourth round of the Miami Open in the United States after a stunning 6-4, 6-2 win over world No. 5 American Madison Keys early Monday (PH time).

Eala, 19, will face No. 10 Paula Badosa of Spain in the round of 16 Tuesday morning (PH time).

Just like in her first two wins over unseeded American Katie Volynets and Latvian world No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, she cried after match point.

She said she cast aside thoughts of her previous losses when she couldn’t follow up on her big wins.

“I don’t think I’ve had the time to process everything that’s happened. So I’m taking it step by step and just focusing on what I need to do next. It’s a big thing to take in, and I’m so super proud of what I was able to accomplish, but it definitely fuels me more,” she said in the post-match interview at the Grandstand court of Hard Rock Stadium.

“I know and it’s in my mind that I have a next match, but I need to stop and I need to recognize that what I did today was really amazing.”

She is the first Filipino player to beat a top 10 player and a Grand Slam champion at that.

The 30-year-old Keys won her maiden major at the Australian Open in January.

Eala had a 59 percent and 55 percent winning percentages on first and second serves, respectively — both better than Keys’ 48 and 40.

The Filipino wild card also won 35 service points against the American’s 28 and had lesser double faults, 1 against 4.

“My game plan was to stick with what I know and to run,” Eala said. “I knew the situation. I knew that she was a great player. I knew that she was a big hitter, so I had to keep my legs on and take the opportunities that I could find.”

Keys said it was simply of case of her not playing great and Eala playing “really well.”

“Unfortunately, that’s kind of how tennis goes sometimes. My serve was not really there today and I kind of just felt a little flat. And when you’re playing someone who makes a ton of balls back and absorbs [power] really well, that’s not really the keys to success,” the American said.

The giggly Eala first thanked her parents, who were not in Miami, during the oncourt interview.

“Mom, Dad, nakuha ko (I got it),” she said, adding that she would immediately call them after the interview.

She also acknowledged her supporters when asked to speak in Filipino.

“Maraming salamat, mga kababayan (Thank you, my fellow Filipinos),” she told a group of compatriots holding a Philippine flag.

Eala was only 13 when her parents sent her to the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain. She left in 2023 but still trains at the academy. 

As a juniors player, Eala won the girls’ doubles titles in the 2020 Australian Open (with Indonesian Priska Madelyn) and 2021 French Open (with Russian Oksana Selekhmeteva), and the 2022 US Open girls’ singles title.

She is currently ranked No. 140 but is the only Filipino player on the professional tour.