The mark at Miami Open 2025
The 2025 Miami Open tennis tournament will see two special milestones. While Jakub Mensik defeated Novak Djokovic in the final to win the men's singles event, Alexandra Eala knocked off Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the women's singles event. They are all 19 years old.
For Eala, although not to the destination is the championship, the journey of the female tennis player from the Philippines is no different from the glorious glory. The star is rising, who only won 2 victories at the WTA Tour level before coming to Miami Open 2025, captured the heart and headlines when defeating three Grand Slam champions on their way to the semi -finals.
Despite losing an exciting 3-set semi-final against Jessica Pegula, the resilience and skill of the world No. 140 have left a deep impression on both fans and opponents. The 19-year-old tennis player only had a special ticket to the WTA 1000 event and seized the opportunity with both hands, creating a series of incredible shocks that showed her great potential.
From defeating Jelena Ostapenko - French Open champion 2017, Madison Keys - Australian Open champion 2025, to a surprise victory over world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, what Eala left at Miami was nothing short of extraordinary.
Despite the semi-final defeat, the fighting spirit and unwavering determination of this young tennis player shone, helping her receive widespread admiration and respect. With the ranking skyrocketing to 75th place in the world, the phenomenon of Philippine tennis is ready to make a significant impact in the global arena.
As Eala prepared to immerse herself in the glory worthy of her achievements at the Miami Open, the whole world watched in amazement at the appearance of a new tennis force. With a playing style combining precision, power and resilience, Eala's future in this sport is brighter than ever, promising an exciting journey with victories, challenges and countless possibilities.
According to Jessica Pegula, who faced Eala in the semi-finals and acknowledged her great talent: "She is a really good tennis player... all of that will take her far". And indeed, as the tennis world prepares for the impact of this young phenomenon, one thing is certain - Alexandra Eala is the name that will be engraved in tennis' history for many years to come.
Not knowing how to be afraid since I was little
Why are experts confident in predicting a glorious future for Eala? Refer to the sharing of John Pages, a sports writer since 1994 for The Freeman in the Tennis Is My Game section, and since 2003, for Sun.Star Cebu in the Match Point section.
For the first time I saw Alexandra Maniego Eala, she did not hold the trophy. The girl held a racket nearly as high as her height. That was in October 2012 at Puerto Princesa. My daughter Jana, then 14 years old, is playing at the Palawan Pawnshop tennis tournament. While the older girls were fighting, a girl with a small left arm with a groundstroke with both hands attracted everyone's attention.
The girl was only 7 years old. The girl's name is Alex Eala.
The girl did not win. No, not yet. Do not compete with boys and girls in the unisex category under 10 years old. But that's not important. Everyone has paid attention. She went with her father, Mike, and her best friend, Bobby Maniego. Her brother, Miko (who later became a top scorer at Penn State) was there, playing with her on the court. Alex is not the biggest or the most noisy. But the girl had a burning fire in her.
12 years passed so quickly. That little girl is now the world's number 75 tennis player.
Alex's promotion has been steady and deserved. Ranked as one of the best young athletes in the Philippines in 2018, she won at the age of 12 at Les Petits As in France - a prestigious training ground for future stars.
That victory opened the door for Rafael Nadal Academy. At the age of 13, she and Miko moved to Mallorca, Spain, on a scholarship. From that moment on, Alex has shaped his playing style to be on par with the best in the world. She graduated from the academy in 2023. Who is the guest speaker at the ceremony? Iga Swiatek.
That took us to the Miami Open last week. Alex not only plays well - she introduces herself to the world. She has defeated three consecutive Grand Slam champions: Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. All in a row. All in one WTA 1000 event.
Facing Swiatek, she played calmly and calmly. Winning in 97 minutes. Rafael Nadal himself sent a message: "We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Keep dreaming."
Next is the world No. 4 tennis player, Jessica Pegula. Alex scored a set in the first set. Winning set 2. Fight with all your might in set 3. The girl lost the match, right! But it never shows signs of being lost.
After the match, Alex waved his hand and smiled. If you don't know the score, you will think she won. In many ways, she won. She proved that she deserved it. On the biggest stage and playing with the biggest names.
My daughter stayed up until 2:30 am with her Ateneo teammates to watch Alex's match with Swiatek. The next morning, Jana told me, "As soon as Alex entered the court, he looked like a winner. She was not afraid of that moment or her opponent."
Alex will participate in the official round of the 2025 Grand Slam - starting with the French Open in May. A big step forward after failing to qualify for all four major tournaments last year.
At the age of 19, Alex is improving. Stronger. Smarter. Now, she believes that she can compete with the best people in the world. And with the continuous inspiration from her parents - mother, Rizza, the SEA Games medalist in swimming; and Mike's father gave her a solid guidance from the beginning - her future is very, very interesting.
For me, what makes Alex different is not just his excellent return or strong shots. That is mental strength. The girl fights. The girl trusted. When asked how she did it in Miami, she said, "Let's do it early. Not afraid. Not afraid to fail".
The girl was not afraid. The girl is ready. And she is proud to be a Philippines.
Idol Maria Sharapova
After the 2025 Miami Open, an Eala fan account shared an unprecedented photo on X, featuring 5-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova and Eala. Both of them smiled. It is not yet confirmed when and where the photo was taken, however, this is not surprising, as Eala mentioned being heavily inspired by Sharapova in her early years.
Last year, before the second leg in Madrid, Eala revealed: "I have a poster of her in my room. I like her style, I like the way she fights and follows every ball."
After the 2025 Miami Open, Eala continued to talk about the "Russian Doll", when asked if there was any current or former female tennis player that she especially admired for her playing style, wanted to follow their example on the court: "Certainly. When I grew up, my favorite person was Maria Sharapova. I think I like her courage and clearly the way she dresses and behaves.
Eala's goal remains unchanged. My dream has remained the same since the beginning, I have always been a dreamer. I want to win Grand Slams and become the world number one. Sharapova idol reached No. 1 on August 22, 2005, more than 4 years after turning professional...
