Ace Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal extended his heartfelt wishes to Alexandra Eala, a talented product of his academy, after she decisively defeated five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open.
Initially entering the tournament as a wildcard, Eala has triumphed over three major champions: Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Swiatek, making her way to the semifinals.
On Wednesday, Eala delivered an impressive performance against Swiatek, winning the match 6-2, 7-5 and marking her place in the semifinals of this WTA 1000 event.
In a tweet, Nadal expressed, “We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming!”
Emotional about her victory, Eala shared her feelings post-match: “I don’t know what to say, I mean, complete disbelief right now and I am on cloud nine. It’s forever in my heart.” This achievement comes just two years after Eala graduated and posed for a memorable photo with Nadal and Swiatek.
With her victory over Swiatek, Eala becomes a milestone athlete, being the first from the Philippines to reach the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament. Prior to her win against Swiatek, Eala outlasted Ostapenko with a 7-6, 7-5 in the Round of 64 and dominated Keys 6-4, 6-2. Now, she faces last year’s U.S. Open runner-up, Jessica Pegula, for a chance to enter the final after Pegula’s win against Emma Raducanu of Britain with a score of 6-4, 7-6, 6-2.
Ranked 140th in the world, Eala’s journey is remarkable as she is the first woman from her country to make it to the last eight of a WTA 1000 event. Demonstrating resilience, Eala capitalized on a difficult performance by Swiatek, making a strong comeback from a 4-2 deficit in the second set. She concluded the match by breaking Swiatek for the eighth time, just when Swiatek was serving to stay in the match at 6-5.
Having moved to Spain at the age of 13 to train at Nadal’s academy in Mallorca, Eala had the support of Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle, who watched from her player’s box. Meanwhile, Swiatek, reflecting on her performance, looks forward to the upcoming clay season, acknowledging her struggles in this tournament.
