World no. 75 Alex Eala shares how Miami Open run helped level up her game

Alex Eala is hoping to build on her Cinderella run at the Miami Open as she faces the challenges ahead as the World No. 75 in the WTA rankings, marking a huge leap in her professional career.

 

Eala, 19, had never won a main draw match in the Miami Open before this year, when she became the darling of the tournament, toppling higher-ranked players including top five players like Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek.

 

Now that the magic of Miami has fizzled out, Eala wants to keep the momentum going, especially as she is expected to get more invites to high-level tournaments like the WTA 1000s and more importantly, the Grand Slams.

 

Having been able to go toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the world, Eala believes that she already has what it takes.

 

“I think that I have been improving for a while. Everything. A little bit my serve, a little bit of my fitness, the quality of my shots, how to build a point, and I think it took me a while to really mesh those things together and really make it come out during the matches,” Eala told her uncle and former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala on his show Power & Play when asked on what improved with her game. 

 

“But as you can see, when I’m playing well, the level is really there,” she said.

 

Prior to her run in Miami, Eala was slowly but surely rising through the ranks. But when it came to high-level opponents, the Rafa Nadal Academy scholar looked a step slow.

However, after Eala's surprising run in Miami, which she admitted came as a shock, the 19-year-old Filipina now knows her own capabilities.

In that run, Eala faced three former Grand Slam champions in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek. The Filipina blew past them without dropping a set.

“I feel this week is really gonna help with the trust that I have in myself and the trust that I have in my game, and when I need to go for those big points, then I believe that I have the level to do so,” she said.

 

Among those who also recognized her efforts was Rafael Nadal himself, who messaged Eala personally.

 

After having multiple interactions with the Spanish superstar before, especially during her time at Rafael Nadal Academy, Eala said that it remained surreal for him to personally acknowledge her accomplishment.

 

“Rafa messaged me. It was the first time he ever messaged me personally so I think that was a shock to see. Funny story, I only saw it like a couple of days after kasi nga punong puno yung cellphone ko. It was exciting to see his notification,” she recalled, smiling.

 

Still, it’s far from the end of Eala’s season as she’s not even midway through the season.

 

Expected to rise even more in the rankings to be released next week, Eala will have the chance to test her mettle in higher-level competitions. With the clay season starting, Eala will next compete in Portugal, along with the Madrid Open (another WTA 1000 event), and a couple more competitions.

But of course, eyes will also be glued on the entrants for the next Grand Slam in the calendar, the French Open.

Eala previously came close to qualifying to the main draw of a grand slam through the qualifiers but always fell short of one more win. Now, though, with her higher ranking, she is expected to get an outright invite into the main draw.