Who doesn’t love an underdog story? Before she was world No. 1, Iga Swiatek was just a 19-year-old ranked No. 54 when she shocked the tennis world by winning the 2020 French Open. That year, she dominated the final against Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin to take home her maiden Grand Slam. Fast forward to 2025, and the master has now become the student. Alexandra Eala, the 19-year-old sensation ranked No. 140, just pulled off the biggest win of her career at the Miami Open. In the quarterfinals, she stunned Swiatek with a commanding 6-2, 7-5 victory. It was their first official meeting on the court, but their paths had crossed before. How, you ask?

Let’s rewind to 2023. Eala graduated from Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca, Spain. Standing beside her during the ceremony? None other than Iga Swiatek and Rafael Nadal. At the time, Swiatek had no idea that the young Filipina would one day be the one stopping her from reaching another WTA-1000 semifinal.

Eala herself was in disbelief after the match. In her on-court interview, she described the moment as “surreal.” Reflecting on her journey, she said, “I feel like I’m the exact same person I was in that photo. I’m so happy and blessed to be able to compete with such a player on this stage.”

Her game plan? She kept it simple. “My coach told me to run, to go for every ball, to take every opportunity you can, because a five-time Grand Slam champion is not going to give you the win.” And she did just that.

Coincidence or fate, the two had already shared the court once before. In 2021, Eala and Swiatek practiced together in Miami Gardens. A year later, they won the same Grand Slam—Swiatek took home the 2022 US Open women’s singles title, while Eala triumphed in the girls’ singles event.

This Miami Open run is groundbreaking for Eala. Before this event, she had played just two matches on the WTA Tour. Now, she’s set to break into the top 100 for the first time. Meanwhile, Swiatek hadn’t lost to a player outside the top 100 in four years. But here’s the kicker—this wasn’t even Eala’s first upset of the tournament. Just a round earlier, the young Filipina shocked another Grand Slam champion, Madison Keys. It was a feat that even had Rafael Nadal’s attention!

Rafael Nadal gives a shout-out to Alexandra Eala

Alexandra Eala dominated the American at her home tournament, breaking her serve six times to secure a 6-4, 6-2 win. With that victory, Eala became the first Filipino player in the Open Era to defeat a former Grand Slam champion on the WTA Tour. In fact, the last Filipino player to take down a major winner at either WTA or ATP level was Eric Taino, who beat Michael Chang in 2003.

Her impressive performance didn’t go unnoticed. The King of Clay himself, Rafael Nadal, took to Instagram to give his protégé a shoutout. “(clapping emoji) @alex.eala (clapping emoji)” he posted, celebrating her stunning achievement.

For the Filipino, the connection to Nadal runs deep. She has long considered the 22-time major champion her idol, admiring his humility and relentless work ethic. Speaking to GMA in 2020, she shared, “He is so grounded, and he has achieved more than anything I could dream of, and the fact that he is still so nice to everyone around here is very admirable from him.”

She also credits the Rafa Nadal Academy for shaping her game and preparing her for the professional tour. “The academy has been my home for the past seven years. Of course, my family should take credit for the foundation that they laid out before they sent me there,” she said. “But of course, the academy was able to build on that foundation in such a way that I’m able to be where I am now. And I think the combination of everything that I’ve been through since I started tennis is what has led to this moment and what has led to me having all these opportunities.”

Now, the rising star is just one step away from the final. She’ll face either world No. 4 Jessica Pegula or 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the semifinals. A 19-year-old with nerves of steel, an underdog rewriting history—Alexandra Eala is making her mark. Can she take it all the way? What do you think?