Philippine female tennis player continuously causes shock at Miami Open 2025

Miracle at Miami Open

In the quarterfinals of the 2025 Miami Open taking place on the morning of March 27, Filipino tennis player Alexandra Eala faced former world number one Iga Swiatek. In the world women's tennis rankings, Eala is ranked 140th, 138 places below Swiatek. Therefore, not many people think that the Filipino tennis player can cause difficulties for the player who owns 5 prestigious grand slams.

Eala (right) defeated Swiatek in the quarter-finals

PHOTO: REUTERS

However, what Eala showed was really outstanding. In the first set, despite losing the break in the opening game, Eala was still able to defeat Swiatek with a score of 6-2.

In the second set, Eala became even more confident. The Filipino player broke his opponent's serve four times, thereby ending the second set with a 7-5 victory.

Alexandra Eala was born on May 23, 2005 in Quezon City, Philippines. She is 1.75 m tall and plays a two-handed backhand. Eala became the Philippines' No. 1 female tennis player in the WTA rankings with a peak position of No. 134 in January 2025, currently holding the world No. 140.

Eala is left handed.

PHOTO: REUTERS

The Pride of Philippine Tennis

Elena doesn’t have a powerful serve (her first serve is only about 145 km/h and her second serve is about 120 km/h), but the left-hander stands out thanks to her flexible movement and solid defense. In the match against Swiatek, she took advantage of her break opportunities (8/10), while her opponent made 32 unforced errors, far exceeding Eala’s 12.

"I really can't believe it. It's all so magical. I'm so happy and grateful to be playing against such an excellent player on such a big stage. I feel like I'm living a dream. Even though the chances of winning were not high, my belief and confidence in myself helped me overcome all difficulties," Eala shared after her victory over Swiatek.

Eala eliminated 3 big names of world tennis at Miami Open 2025

PHOTO: REUTERS

At the Miami Open 2025, Eala, with a wildcard, is having a magical journey. She has defeated very strong opponents such as Katie Volynets; former Roland Garros champion - Jelena Ostapenko, Australian Open champion Madison Keys; former world number 2 Paula Badosa (withdrew before the match) and most recently Iga Swiatek without losing any set. The next opponent of the Filipino player in the semi-finals will be Jessica Pegula or Emma Raducanu.

Alexandra Eala makes history in Southeast Asian tennis

PHOTO: REUTERS

The win over Swiatek made Alexandra Eala the first Filipino player to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final in the 21st century, and she is also the rare Southeast Asian to have advanced far at a major tournament in recent years. Eala's ranking will improve significantly with this achievement - she is expected to rise 65 places, marking her debut in the world's top 100 at No. 75.

If she reaches the Miami Open final, the 19-year-old will be close to the top 50, and if she wins the Miami Open this year, she will be close to the world's top 30.

Alexandra Eala is the first player from the Philippines to win the women's singles event at the 2022 US Open Junior Grand Slam. Eala has won 5 ITF singles titles and 3 ITF doubles titles, and also won 2 bronze medals at the 2022 Asian Games, along with 3 bronze medals at the SEA Games in Vietnam in 2021. A student of the Rafael Nadal Academy since the age of 12, Eala is gradually asserting herself in international tournaments.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tay-vot-nu-philippines-lien-tuc-gay-soc-tai-giai-miami-mo-rong-2025-185250327084848458.htm