Tennis icon Chris Evert takes notice as Alex Eala impresses in Miami Open

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Eala caught the attention of the world following her magical Miami Open run, including tennis icon Chris Evert.

Evert, one of the greatest players of all time with 18 Grand Slam titles, commended Eala for her gritty performance despite a 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3 loss to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States in the semifinals.

That Eala pushed Pegula to the limit even after a grueling run that saw her shock world-ranked elites Iga Swiatek, Madison Keys, and Jelena Ostapenko in the previous rounds impressed Evert.

“Incredible that Alex Eala still has anything left in her considering the teen has beaten three Grand Slam champs,” Evert wrote on X.

Evert, who reigned from the mid-’70s to the ’80s and held the women’s world No. 1 ranking for 260 weeks, couldn’t quite believe — much like the rest of the sports world — how a wild card bet put together a run to remember and made history as the first tennis player from the Philippines to reach the final four of a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 1000 event, a competition just a notch below the Grand Slams.

Joining the tournament ranked No. 140, Eala defeated four players in the top 100, starting from world No. 73 Katie Volynets, as the 19-year-old made it past the first round in Miami for the first time.

Eala then pulled off more upsets by stunning world No. 2 Swiatek, No. 5 Keys, and No. 25 Ostapenko, toppling all three Grand Slam titlists in straight sets.

In pulling off the improbable feat, Eala became just the third player ranked outside the top 100 to beat Swiatek, a five-time major titleholder, in a WTA main draw.

While her dream campaign ended at the hands of Pegula, Eala still displayed the spunk and gumption that made her the toast of the town in Miami.

On the verge of getting swept, Eala fought back from a 1-3 deficit in the second set and dragged Pegula to a decider, where she went toe-to-toe with the 31-year-old American.

Eala will officially earn a spot in the top 100 for the first time in her career when the WTA releases its latest rankings on Monday, March 31, as she is poised to climb to No. 75 — a major leap from No. 140.

Ahead of the semifinal match, tennis legend Rafael Nadal also lauded the Filipina teen, saying he’s “extremely proud.”

The 22-time Grand Slam champion told Eala, who graduated from the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain in 2023, to “keep dreaming.” – Rappler.com