QUALIFIER Alexandra Eala continued her giant slaying spree in the prestigious Miami Open, stunning five-time Grand Slam singles champion Polish Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
The 19-year-old Filipina, the lowest-ranked player in the main draw (170), matched Swiatek's grit, determination, and resiliency game after game before overcoming the world’s no.2 powerful baseline game en route to a 6-2, 7-5 victory before a shocking and delirious crowd.
“I’m in complete disbelief right now. I’m on cloud nine. Thank you,” said Eala in a post-game interview at the center court as she acknowledged the crowd, including Filipino fans, waving the Philippine flag while chanting her name.
Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion and one-time US Open titlist, is the third-highest-ranked player bowing to Eala, who etched a name in the tennis world after winning the US junior open titles three years ago.
Earlier, Eala beat No. 5 seed and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-2, and Jelena Ostapenko in the second round.
Eala now awaits the winner between Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu and the U.S.’s Jessica Pegula for her semifinal matchup in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event, her first in her young career.
“I’m just so happy and so blessed to compete with such a player at this stage,” added Eala.
