Nineteen-year-old Alexandra Eala is the talk of the tennis world. She made history for the Philippines by winning the 2022 US Open junior title. Turning pro, she climbed the ranks, breaking into the top 200 by August 2023. In 2025, she exploded onto the scene. Eala reached the semifinals at the Canberra International, then stunned everyone at Miami. As a wild card ranked No. 140, she shocked world No. 5 Madison Keys. Then, in a thrilling quarterfinal, she toppled world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 7-5. She became the first Filipina to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal. What’s it been like for the young starlet since then?
Now, she’s competing at the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal. Eala started strong, defeating Anouk Koevermans in the round of 32 on April 14. But her hot streak ended in the last 16. She lost to Hungary’s Panna Udvardy, ranked 137th, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. The match lasted a grueling hour and 50 minutes on clay. It’s a setback for the 19-year-old, who entered the tournament at a career-high No. 73 after her Miami heroics.
After the match, reporters asked if life on tour had changed since Miami. Eala stayed humble. “A lot has changed, technically, but at the same time, not much has changed. It’s hard to explain. I’ve had the same work ethic since I was young, so nothing has changed in terms of how I go about my day has really changed.” But just how big was her run at the Miami Open?
Alexandra Eala on keeping her feet on the ground in the wake of her Miami Open run.
“I’ve had the same work ethic since I was young, so nothing has changed in terms of how I go about my day.”
“There’s a big difference between last month and this month in terms of my ranking but… pic.twitter.com/Bud0GKOT7O
— Talking Tennis (@TalkingTennisTT) April 16, 2025
Well, it was just wild—she made history left and right! By beating Swiatek, she became the lowest-ranked woman ever to take down a Top 2 player in Miami and matched the best wild card result, just like Henin in 2010 and Azarenka in 2018. She also became the first wild card to defeat three Grand Slam champs in straight sets at one WTA event.
Then she rallied from 4-0 down to beat Ostapenko, then stunned Madison Keys, and came back again to topple Swiatek. The best part? Her Miami prize money—$332,160—was almost 67% of her entire career earnings coming in! Now, she’s set to rocket from No. 140 to around No. 75, smashing her old career high.
Her Portugal exit stings, but Eala isn’t fazed. “There’s a big difference between last month and this month in terms of my results, my ranking but when you focus on the things that I need to focus on, there’s nothing much…I’m staying focused.” Her main goal now: stay consistent and keep climbing. She’s already in the Top 100, now sitting at No. 72 in the WTA rankings.
“I’m proud of myself for pushing through those tough moments, as well as to have been able to make a statement for the Philippines in one of the biggest stages of tennis,” Eala shared in a social media post. For a 19-year-old, she’s still got a long way to go. The future is wide open. However, off court, she faces new challenges, but her focus never wavers.
Eala points out the biggest hurdle of the tour
Alexandra Eala beams with Filipino pride after her historic Miami Open run last month. She became the first player from the Philippines to reach a WTA 1000 semifinal and crack the Top 100. After advancing on a walkover against Paula Badosa, Eala expressed her deeper mission: “I would love to think that I make a difference. That’s the only thing I can do to give back to my country is to help inspire, to inspire change and positive change, to inspire people to pick up a racket, to watch more tennis, watch more women’s tennis.”
But being a citizen of the Philippines comes with hurdles—especially when it comes to travel. “What’s challenging is being able to travel with flexibility,” Eala revealed to Philippine media last week. “As a tennis player, you need to be very flexible with your schedule. You’re going to make a lot of last-minute choices, and it doesn’t allow you time to organize all of this—every single time—to have the visas ready.”
With the Philippine passport ranking 74th on the Henley Passport Index in 2025, Eala needs advance visas for most major tennis destinations, including all four Grand Slam host countries.
Yet the 19-year-old wouldn’t trade her heritage for anything! She cherishes the incredible support from the Filipino diaspora worldwide. With over 10 million Filipinos living abroad (according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas in 2013) and more than 4.6 million in the United States as of 2023, Eala enjoys a global cheering section. “You cannot find that kind of community anywhere else, in my opinion,” she confessed.
So what’s next for Eala after her early exit from the WTA 125 event in Oeiras, Portugal? Clay season is heating up, and her Miami success practically guarantees her Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland Garros starting on May 25!
After six previous attempts at Grand Slam qualifying without breaking through, Paris could be where she finally steps onto tennis’s biggest stage. The tennis world is watching—could this be her next big moment?
The post “A Lot Has Changed,” Miami Open Icon Alexandra Eala Strives on “Same Work Ethic” as She Waddles Her Way Through On-Court Heartbreaks appeared first on EssentiallySports.
