Filipino Teenager Alexandra Eala Shocks Madison Keys at Miami Open

Alexandra Eala, a 19-year-old tennis phenom from the Philippines surprised everyone in the tennis world. She beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys in an exhilarating third-round encounter at the Miami Open. The now 140th-ranked Eala impressed the sporting public with her astounding talent. She won 6-4, 6-2 in a match where she broke Keys’ serve 6 times.

Eala continues to make herstory with this most recent victory! She became the first Filipino player to defeat a top-10 opponent, male or female, since the creation of the ATP and WTA rankings in 1975. Eala, 18, is already making a big splash this year’s Miami Open. She has already bagged three victories, the most from any other Filipino player in the tournament’s Open Era combined.

Eala’s rookie season in the world of professional tennis has been nothing short of remarkable. She trained at Rafael Nadal’s academy since she was 13, honing her skills alongside some of the best players in the world. Her achievements include winning the US Open girls’ singles title in 2022, as well as capturing the girls’ doubles titles at the French Open in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2020.

In the previous rounds of the Miami Open, Eala defeated former French Open champion Jeļena Ostapenko in a remarkable second-round match before taking down Keys. The young athlete has expressed her feelings about these accomplishments, stating, “I don’t think I’ve had the time to process everything that’s happened, so I’m taking it step by step and just focusing on what I need to do next.”

Further down the draw, Eala is scheduled to play No. 10 seed Paula Badosa in the round of 16. This next matchup presents an opportunity for Eala to further solidify her status as an emerging star in women’s tennis.

Reflecting on her achievements, Eala noted, “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.” Her grit and hustle are star qualities that carry the day. For this young athlete, the journey to greatness has only begun.