Madison Keys suffered an unexpected defeat against Alexandra Eala in the Miami Open. Eala celebrates a historic win as the first Filipina to beat a top-10 player. Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic also made headlines with their victories, while emerging talents displayed prowess in the tournament.
In a surprising turn of events at the Miami Open, fifth-seeded American Madison Keys, the current Australian Open champion, was defeated by 19-year-old Filipina wildcard Alexandra Eala with a score of 6-4, 6-2. Eala celebrated vigorously with her team, marking a historic victory as she became the first Filipina woman to defeat a top-10 player since the WTA rankings began in 1975. Following this victory, she is set to face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals.
Eala, a former US Open girls’ singles champion, has trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca since the age of 13. She expressed the challenges she faced growing up without local role models, stating, “You didn’t have anyone from where you’re from to pave the way… I hope this takes Filipino tennis to the next step.”
In contrast, Madison Keys acknowledged her subpar performance, specifically citing her serve and lack of energy against Eala. She remarked, “My serve was not really there today and I just kind of felt a little flat — and when you are playing someone who makes a ton of balls back… that’s not really the keys to success.”
In other notable matches, Iga Swiatek secured her spot in the last 16 of a WTA 1000 tournament for a record 25th straight event, defeating Elise Mertens 7-6 (7/2), 6-1. Swiatek, who faced challenges in the first set, highlighted her patience in working through her serve issues, stating, “In the first set, my serve wasn’t working perfectly. I’m glad I was patient enough to just work for it.”
Meanwhile, Elina Svitolina advanced to the fourth round by defeating Karolina Muchova in a closely contested match with scores of 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic set a new milestone for ATP Masters 1000 wins, surpassing Rafael Nadal’s record with his victory over Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
Additionally, American Sebastian Korda achieved his first Top 10 win of the year against Stefanos Tsitsipas, expressing joy in playing at home, stating, “It’s awesome… just a lot of fun to play here and get my first Top 10 win of the year.”
Grigor Dimitrov notched his 100th Masters 1000 hard-court win in a match against Karen Khachanov, which lasted over two hours, showcasing his endurance and skill on the court. Dimitrov reflected on this achievement, saying, “It’s beautiful I think every time you hit such a milestone.”
The Miami Open witnessed a remarkable upset with Madison Keys’ unexpected defeat by Alexandra Eala, marking a significant milestone in Filipino tennis history. Iga Swiatek displayed her dominance, reaching the last 16 for the 25th time in a row, while Djokovic made history with his ATP Masters record. In the men’s draw, several emerging talents, including Sebastian Korda and Grigor Dimitrov, showcased their skills, highlighting the exciting dynamics of the tournament.
Original Source: www.mykxlg.com
