At the 2022 US Open, Alexandra Eala made history by becoming the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam singles title. This week in Miami, she achieved another first for her nation at the professional level.
The 19-year-old became the first woman from the Philippines to beat a WTA Top 10 opponent with her 6-4, 6-2 stunner against Madison Keys on Sunday. The young lefty, ranked 135 places below world No. 5 Keys, bravely battled the reigning Australian Open champion from the baseline and was rewarded with the biggest win of her young career.
“I don’t think I’ve had the time to process everything that’s happened,” Eala said after advancing to the fourth round for the first time at a WTA 1000. “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.”
That next match is on Monday evening against former world No. 2 Paula Badosa, the 10th seed in Miami. The Spanish star, who reached this year's Aussie Open semis, will be Eala's third successive high-profile opponent. The Filipina beat 2017 Roland Garros champ Jelena Ostapenko, 7-6(2), 7-5, in the second round before knocking off another major champ in Keys.
Against Keys, Eala's unrelenting and steady ground game forced the American into long rallies. While she hit just 13 winners, she frustrated Keys into 51 unforced errors.
“My game plan was to stick with what I know and to run,” said Eala, who has not lost a set en route to the last 16. “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.”
If Eala can extend her dream run with a victory against Badosa, she would meet either five-time Grand Slam champ Iga Swiatek or former world No. 3 Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
At the quarterfinal stage of her 2022 US Open junior title run, Eala notched a 6-4, 6-0 win against Mirra Andreeva—the fast-rising 17-year-old who is now ranked world No. 6 after her Indian Wells triumph last week. Eala has proven this week that she has the game to make a similar surge.
Editor's Note (3/27): Eala advanced past Badosa via walkover and went on to stun Swiatek, 6-2, 7-5, before her Miami run ended in a three-set semifinal defeat to Jessica Pegula.
Watch highlights of the Eala vs. Andreeva 2022 US Open junior girls' singles quarterfinal below, followed by Eala's championship press conference from later that fortnight.
