History is filled with prodigies who shone brightly in their youth but ultimately faded in the fiercely competitive adult game. Alexandra Eala could have been one such prodigy. At just 12, she left her family behind to train at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy, the same year she triumphed at the renowned Le Petits As tournament in France. By 13, she was competing in junior Grand Slams, and at 17, in 2022, she claimed the US Open girls’ title, notably defeating Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals. Arriving in Miami ranked 140th in the world, she’s watched as her former junior rival, Andreeva, effortlessly ascended into the Top 10, becoming a celebrated figure on the WTA tour. Yet, according to Eala, she never doubted her ability to achieve exactly what she did on Wednesday: defeat five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek and reach the semifinals of the Miami Open.

In an interview with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), Eala described the match, saying it’s “forever in her heart.” With her win against Swiatek, Alexandra Eala has now become the first player from the Philippines to reach a WTA 1000 SF. She has already defeated three Grand Slam champions in this tournament. 

When Alexandra defeated the 2017 French Open champion, Jelena Ostapenko, in the R64, Rafael Nadal shared a post on his social media account, saying, “Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for [the Philippines].”

Then again, after her impressive 6-4,6-2 victory against the reigning AO champion, Madison Keys, the Spaniard was seen applauding the youngster. Rafa took to his Instagram Story, applauding her success with “👏🏼@alex.eala👏🏼” 

This time, Nadal came up with a tweet saying, “👏🏻 We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming! 💪🏼.” Even the six-time Grand Slam champion, Boris Becker, reacted to Nadal’s message and showcased his acknowledgment by resharing that post with the caption, “Word“.

Interestingly, Eala’s uncle, former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Noli Eala, shared the excitement, expressing his pride and support on social media, writing, “We believe! Vamos Alex!”

Well, it all boils down to the Rafa Nadal Academy, that has been her “home for the past seven years.” Talking about the academy’s pivotal role in her rapid rise, she once admitted, “Of course, my family should take credit for the foundation that they laid out before they sent me there. 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.” 

Rafael Nadal’s uncle & ex-coach, Toni Nadal, was spotted in her box during her match against Swiatek. During her post-match interview with the Tennis Channel, Alexandra Eala talked about how happy she was to see Toni attending her match. “Well, I worked very closely with Toni alongside of course my coach Joan, Sandro, and the other people from the academy. It meant a lot that he showed up here. I know that he had to catch a flight but it showed the confidence he had in me and the confidence the academy had in me. I also didn’t know that he was going to come until this morning.”

Even Rafael Nadal‘s sister, Maribel, reacted to Eala’s incredible win against Swiatek. She reshared an image of Ela alongside Swiatek from the Filipino’s graduation ceremony in June 2023. The Pole attended that ceremony as a guest of honor at that time. From standing next to both Nadal and Swiatek during the ceremony to beating the Pole and earning praise from the Spanish legend, Alexandra Eala has already come a long way. Simply “surreal“!

What was her reaction after this incredible win against Iga Swiatek, though?

Alexandra Eala’s first reaction after securing a historic win against Iga Swiatek

The 19-year-old left-hander, who received a wild card in this tournament, is the only Filipino player on the professional tour. She entered this tournament ranking 140th in the world, and now, her incredible performances have not only propelled her into the SF in Miami but also guaranteed her a spot in the Top 100. With this historic feat, she will now become the first player, male or female, representing the Philippines to break into the top echelon of the sport.

As the first prominent tennis player from the Philippines, she has openly discussed the lack of domestic role models. She has now become one herself! What did Alexandra Eala say after becoming the third player to reach her first WTA SF at the Miami Open?

“I’m in complete disbelief right now, I’m on cloud nine…I really tried to soak it all in, because this has never happened to me before, and that’s why I was looking at the screen. I really wanted to keep that moment in my mind.“

Her goal was always to be the “best version” of herself. And looking at her performances in Miami, we can surely conclude she has already reached that goal. Even Iga Swiatek agrees, saying, “Her being a lefty didn’t surprise me, but for sure, like, she went all in. She made these returns in and pretty long, and so it wasn’t easy to hit it back. She was pretty loosened up and just went for it.“

Further analyzing her opponent’s game in this match, the Pole added, “She was very aggressive and she stayed focused. And, I don’t know, some of her shots came out of nowhere. But despite that, I can clearly see that she intends to go forward and push. So it worked for her today, that’s for sure.” What’s next for Eala?

Eala will next face America’s Jessica Pegula in the SF. The world number 4 has also been in supreme touch this season. After securing her 19th win of this season, Pegula will be eyeing to reach sixth WTA 1000 final. Can she stop Eala’s dream run in Miami, though?