Even if she didn’t come home with the championship win, Alex Eala is still a winner in our books with her historic run at the Miami Open.
Related: All The Firsts Alex Eala Earned With Her Asian Games Medals Finish
Alex Eala is the greatest Filipina tennis player of her generation, and that’s not a hot take. The 19-year-old athlete has made a name for herself as a rising star in the sport ever since she began playing at the start of her teen years with a few notable wins here and there. And with her recent run at the Miami Open, Alex not only solidified her status as such, but she also lived the Cinderella story with wins that earned her even more recognition in the history books. All that before she turns 20? Ok queen, we see you.
SHE MADE HISTORY
Alex Eala will be remembered for many things moving forward, starting with her three victories over Grand Slam winners at the 2025 Miami Open. First, she defeated Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion and current World No. 25 in the Round of 64. Then, she bested Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion and one of the top five players in the world, with a score of 6-4, 6-2, making Alex the first Filipino to beat a Top 10 opponent since the ranking system came into effect 50 years ago.
👏🏻 We are extremely proud of you, Alex.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 26, 2025
What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming! 💪🏼 https://t.co/OlQXYRjO4f
Then, in probably the most jaw-dropping win of her run, Alex won against World No. 2 Iga Świątek, 6-2, 7-5, to advance to the semi-finals. Sadly, Alex’s journey ended when she fell to World No. 4 Jessica Pegula, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3, in a match that saw the Gen Z athlete give it her all despite a few struggles and frustrations, including a slightly twisted ankle.
Alex Eala feels the love despite the loss
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 28, 2025
💙❤️#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/DeNmdiM4Fu
Still, that doesn’t diminish the many historic firsts she achieved. To name some of them: Alex Eala is the first ever Filipino to reach the quarterfinals and final four of a WTA-level 1000 event, the first player from the Philippines to beat a Grand Slam champion, the first player from the Philippines to beat multiple Grand Slam champions, the first Filipina to beat both a Top 25, a Top 10, and a Top 5 player in the WTA rankings, the second wild card ever to have 3 wins over Grand Slam champions a single WTA-level event, and the first Filipina to make it to the top 100 of the WTA rankings, where she currently ranks No. 75 (she entered the competition ranked No. 140 in the world).
ALEX THE GOAT
Alex entered the 2025 Miami Open as a wild card, and she is leaving with a newfound reputation as one of if not the Philippines’ best in the sport. She handled each win and her defeat with grace and maturity, and, more importantly, she got many Filipinos to pay attention to tennis in a way as if it were the Olympics. Alex’s impact was felt beyond the court, such as capturing the country’s attention to root for you is no easy feat, and she did all that at just 19 as she proudly represented her country. She came to Miami ready to prove something, and that’s exactly what she did. And despite the pressure she must have been in, Alex still made sure to have fun in the most Gen Z way possible, and we have no choice but to stan.
We have yet another Filipino athlete being dominant in a sport that’s not mainstream in the country, and hopefully, this could be another sign of how sports like tennis can be given their due in this country because as we can see, the talent is there and it matters when we support and nurture their talents when they’re still young. With every win and loss, Alex continues to get better at her game, and we hope she continues to get those Ws and inspire other young athletes to be the best at their own sports.
Continue Reading: Alex Eala Just Got Herself In The History Books With Her Groundbreaking US Open Win
