Ace Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal extended his warmest congratulations to Alexandra Eala, a talented graduate of his academy, after she achieved an extraordinary result by defeating five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open.
Entering the tournament as a wildcard, Eala showcased her remarkable skills, taking down three major champions on her path to the semifinals: Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Swiatek. On Wednesday, she pulled off a shocking upset, winning the match against Swiatek with a score of 6-2, 7-5, securing her spot in the semifinals of this prestigious WTA 1000 event.
Nadal tweeted, “We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming!”
Eala expressed her joy after the match, stating, “I don’t know what to say, I mean, complete just disbelief right now and I am on cloud nine. It’s forever in my heart.” In a poignant moment, she reminisced about a photo taken two years earlier with both Nadal and Swiatek after her graduation.
The historic victory makes Eala the first player from the Philippines to advance to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament. Earlier, she emerged victorious against Ostapenko, winning 7-6, 7-5, and then defeated Keys with a convincing 6-4, 6-2 in the Round of 64.
Now, Eala will face last year’s US Open runner-up, Jessica Pegula, in the semifinals. Pegula reached this stage after defeating Britain’s Emma Raducanu 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 in her quarterfinal match.
Ranked 140th in the world, Eala has made history not just for her remarkable performances but also as the first woman from her country to reach the WTA 1000 quarterfinals. In her match against Swiatek, she maintained her composure beautifully, making a comeback from being down 4-2 in the second set and clinching the match by breaking Swiatek’s serve while leading 6-5.
Eala, who moved to Spain at age 13 to train at Nadal’s academy in Mallorca, had Toni Nadal, the Spaniard’s uncle and former coach, present in her box during the match. Following this match, Swiatek is looking forward to shifting focus towards her preparations for the clay season, while acknowledging she was far from her best level during this tournament.
