Alex Eala has the tennis world at her feet after her special performance at the Miami Open and she has set her sights on achieving one big goal in the next few years: representing her country the Philippines at the Olympics.
The name Eala was on everyone’s lips at the recently concluded WTA 1000 event in Miami as she produced several stunning performances during her run to the semi-final.
After receiving a wildcard, the 19-year-old defeated three Grand Slam winners en route to the last four.
First she beat 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the second round and that was followed by a win over reigning Australian Open winner Madison Keys in the third round before seeing off five-time major champion Iga Swiatek in the quarter-final.
She eventually lost against Jessica Pegula in the semi-final, but her run propelled her up the rankings as she surged into the top 100 for the first time, making her the highest-ranked Filipina player in WTA Tour history.
Currently sitting at No 73, many believe this is just the start of things to come from the teenager, who trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca.
Eala herself believes there have been several key improvements to her game in the past 12 months.
“I’ve grown so much as a player. Technically and tactically, I’m smarter on the court. I’m physically much stronger than I was a year ago. So I think all of those things combined make such a difference in my game, especially when I’m playing well,” she told People Asia.
She added: “I think strategising is a big part, and to focus on what your strengths are as a tennis player, not to focus so much on the opponent.
“Of course, there are tips and tricks that you should know about the general style of how your opponent plays, but not to read into it so much.
“And then just think point by point and what you need to do.”
Eala’s next event is the WTA 125K Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal after which she will return to WTA Tour action at the Madrid Open.
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