Currently ranked 140th globally, Alexandra Eala, is making waves at the Miami Open with her stunning performance. The young Filipino prodigy clinched a victory against world number 25, Jelena Ostapenko, with a score of 7-6, 7-5 in the second round, following a fierce competition.
Tennis legend, Rafael Nadal, acknowledged Eala’s remarkable achievement, a gesture that comes as no surprise considering Alexandra’s ties to the Rafa Nadal Academy. It was here that she finely tuned her skills before graduating in 2023. The pair even had a personal meeting earlier this year in Mallorca. Nadal’s congratulatory message to Eala radiates optimism for her future, especially following her robust performance at the Miami Open.
Eala’s journey in Miami is far from over. Up next, she faces another formidable adversary in the third round – the champion of the Australian Open, Madison Keys. Her previous match with Ostapenko was a nail-biter, lasting nearly two hours, with Eala edging out nine points more than her competitor, including the decisive ones.
During the match’s critical junctures, Eala demonstrated remarkable mastery over her game, successfully defending 11 of 15 break points to minimize damage. Despite Ostapenko playing against 12 break points and losing serve five times, she exited the match early.
The experienced Ostapenko began the game strong, seizing the fifth break point in the first game with a backhand winner. She solidified her advantage with another break in the third game after a forehand winner. However, Eala made a surprising comeback at 0-4. She held on in the fifth game and managed to pull a break back a few minutes later. The set then proceeded to a tie-break, where the 19-year-old Eala excelled, keeping the pressure on Ostapenko.
Charged with confidence from her first set victory, Eala got a break in the first game of the second set with a forehand winner. Two games later, she scored another break and was on the verge of a win. However, Ostapenko attempted a comeback, landing a winner at the net at 1-4.
The drama escalated when Ostapenko denied three set points in game nine and earned a set point on the return in the next game. Despite this, Eala held her ground, saving the set point and landed a service winner for 5-5. Ostapenko’s double fault at 5-5 was a welcome opportunity for Eala, who seized the advantage and moved forward to win the match and secure her place in the third round.
Eala now sets her sights on Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion. With the momentum in her favor, she looks to secure another significant victory at the Hard Rock Stadium, hoping to compete in the tournament’s second week.
