Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala pulled off another stunning upset at the Miami Open, defeating world No. 5 Madison Keys of the United States, 6-4, 6-2, in the third round early Monday (Manila time).
Just two days after toppling world No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, Eala raised the bar once again by taking down the reigning Australian Open champion to secure a spot in the round of 16.
Eala dominated from the baseline in the opening set, capitalizing on Keys’ second serve to gain the upper hand. She carried that momentum into the second set, forcing the American into multiple errors with her aggressive play.
With this victory, Eala becomes the first Filipino woman in the Open Era to defeat a top-10 opponent since the WTA ranking system was introduced in 1975.
After the match, she expressed gratitude to her parents and the Filipino supporters who cheered for her in Miami.
“I can’t wait to call my mom and dad. Nakuha natin, dad, mom,” said the 19-year-old, who has now beaten two former Grand Slam champions.
“I knew she would come out hitting. I just kept my head down and stayed humble,” she added.
Eala will next face world No. 10 Paula Badosa of Spain in the round of 16.
