Alex Eala of the Philippines celebrates her win against Madison Keys during Day 6 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 23, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP
MIAMI GARDENS, United States–Alex Eala was handed a place in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Miami Open after her fourth-round opponent, world No. 11 Paula Badosa, pulled out with a lower back injury.
The Filipino tennis star will face the winner of Tuesday’s match between Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and second-seed Iga Swiatek.
The 19-year-old Eala, a wildcard in the tournament, has been on a tear–sweeping a pair of Grand Slam champions in Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and Madison Keys of the United States.
READ: Emotional Alex Eala credits family for rise up WTA ranks
LABAN, ALEX! 💪🇵🇭
WATCH: The Philippines’ Alex Eala thanks her supporters as she advances to the Miami Open quarterfinals for the first time following the withdrawal of Spain’s Paula Badosa due to an injury. | 📹: WTA/Facebook pic.twitter.com/vJOTqui1Fg
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 25, 2025
After a gritty win to kick off her Miami Open main draw campaign last week, Eala took down world No. 25 Ostapenko, 7-6 (2), 7-5, on Saturday in their Round of 64 match.
Eala then, proved her upset over the 2017 French Open winner was no fluke after stunning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-2, on Monday (Manila time).
“It’s a big thing to take in, and I feel it’s important for me to take it in step by step. I’m so super proud of what I was able to accomplish, but it definitely fuels me more,” she said after beating Keys.
Her victory over world No. 5 Keys made her the first Filipina to defeat a top-10 opponent since the WTA rankings began in 1975.
READ: Alex Eala stuns Madison Keys, becomes 1st Filipina to beat top-10 player
Eala won the 2022 US Open girls’ singles title and has been based at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca since she was 13.
“The academy has been my home for the past seven years. Of course, my family should take credit for the foundation that they laid out before they sent me there.” she said.
“But of course, the academy was able to build on that foundation in such a way that I’m able to be where I am now. And I think the combination of everything that I’ve been through since I started tennis is what has led to this moment and what has led to me having all these opportunities.”
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