Eala through to Miami Open quarterfinals after opponent withdraws
MIAMI GARDENS, United States — Alexandra Eala, the 19-year-old from the Philippines who upset Australian Open champion Madison Keys on Sunday (Monday Manila time), was handed a place in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open.
This after Eala's fourth-round opponent, Spain’s Paula Badosa, pulled out with a lower back injury on Tuesday.
In the last eight, Eala will face the winner of Tuesday's match between Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and second-seed Iga Swiatek.
Alex Eala ???????? will play the @MiamiOpen quarterfinals! ????
— Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar (@rnadalacademy) March 24, 2025
Get well soon, Paula! ???????? pic.twitter.com/ely2lnBgO4
The Filipina herself was also hindered by an injury on her thigh that forced her to call for a medical timeout in the first set of her match with Keys.
She bucked this injury, as Eala dug deep against the error-riddled Keys, pulling off a 6-4, 6-4 stunner over the World No. 5 to become the first Filipina in the Open era to defeat a former Grand Slam champion at the WTA level.
Ranked 140th in the world, Eala is also the first netter from the Philippines to defeat a top 10 player since 1990, according to the Miami Open website.
In the first round, she defeated World No. 73 Katie Volynets, 6-3, 7-6(3), and followed it up with an upset victory over World No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, 7-6(2), 7-5.— With a report from Ralph Edwin Villanueva
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