Filipina tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala has made history at the 2025 Miami Open, becoming the first player from the Philippines to reach the quarterfinals of a Hologic WTA 1000 tournament in the Open Era.
On March 25, 19-year-old Eala advanced to the quarterfinals after No. 10 seed Paula Badosa withdrew from their scheduled match due to a low back injury. This milestone extends a breakthrough campaign for the Filipino wildcard, who has already made headlines with three powerful victories earlier in the tournament.
Eala, ranked World No. 140, defeated American Katie Volynets in the first round. She then stunned No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, 7-6(2), 7-5, becoming the first Filipina to defeat a Top 30 player in WTA history. Her most impressive performance came on March 24, when she toppled No. 5 seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-2, in the third round.
“I don’t think I’ve had the time to process everything that’s happened,” Eala told reporters after her win over Keys. “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. 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.”
The victory made Eala the first player ranked outside the Top 100 to reach the Round of 16 at a WTA 1000 event this season. She is also the only Filipino, male or female, to hold a world ranking in professional tennis.
Eala’s performance has not gone unnoticed. Her idol, Rafael Nadal, celebrated her win against Ostapenko on social media, posting:
“Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for [the Philippines],” he wrote on X:
Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for 🇵🇭! 👏🏻 https://t.co/mfEM7PR6o9
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 21, 2025
Eala, a 2022 US Open junior champion, trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca since age 13. Her historic Miami run now includes more main-draw wins at this tournament than all previous Filipino players combined in the Open Era.
In her win over Keys, Eala showcased exceptional composure and strategy. Despite medical timeouts for a leg issue, she maintained her focus and consistency. Keys, who had won 19 of her last 20 matches and was aiming for her 20th win of the season, was overwhelmed by Eala’s persistent baseline play.
“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.”
Here’s Alex Eala addressing her fans in a WTA video:
Eala is set to face either No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek or No. 23 seed Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals as her historic journey continues at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
“I think every single player here has envisioned themselves as a successful tennis player,” Eala added. “This is the goal to do well on the WTA Tour, to win Slams. In the end, the goal is to win Slams, to get the rankings. I think this is a good step towards where I want to be.”
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