Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala scored the biggest victory of her career with a giant upset of former Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko in the second round of Miami Open, 7-6, 7-5, early Saturday Manila time.
It was a hard-fought win for the 19-year-old with world number 25 Ostapenko being the highest-ranked player Eala has faced since turning pro.
Eala will now move on to play reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys of the United States in the third round.
After winning match point, Eala clutched her chest, with her hand still holding her racket, as she cried while the crowd cheered her on.
Moments after her stunning upset over the world No. 25 Ostapenko, Alex Eala reflected on the biggest win of her career.
“I’m super overwhelmed right now, still trying to process everything. This win means so much to me. I’ve been working so hard, and now it just leaves me wanting more,” she said.
Eala credited self-belief and mental resilience as the keys to overcoming Ostapenko, a former French Open champion known for her explosive game.
“I had to believe I could do it and just stay there. She’s the type of player who can take huge leads, so believing in myself was so important.”
Eala also highlighted the importance of staying aggressive while maintaining consistency.
“I had to take every opportunity to be aggressive. I think I played pretty consistently throughout the whole match. I didn’t change anything too drastic—I just saw the opportunities and took them. In the second set, she fought back, so I had to stay focused, point by point.”
The match was an intense baseline duel, with Eala showing remarkable composure against her experienced opponent.
“It’s tough playing someone at her level. What was key for me was staying calm, accepting the situation, being humble, and really going for every point without taking anything for granted.”
Eala also shared her mindset on facing a top-ranked player and Grand Slam champion like Ostapenko.
“You have to think of your opponent as just another player. It has to be independent of what she has achieved. I focused on her strengths, my strengths, and what I needed to do. You can’t afford to think, ‘She’s top 25; she’s won a Grand Slam.’ At the end of the day, she’s your opponent across the net, and you have chances to win.”
Eala expressed deep appreciation for the Filipino fans in Miami who came out to support her.
