Iga Swiatek, a five-time major champion, endured a massive shock as Filipina teenager Alexandra Eala continued her long-awaited dream to reach the Miami Open semi-finals.
After being verbally abused by an “aggressive and taunting” fan, second seed Swiatek completely out of sorts as she lost 6-2 7-5 to the world number 140 in Miami.
The 23-year-old’s serve was broken eight times as she worked to hold serve, and her baseline game was shaky and caused numerous forehand errors.
Eala, 19, managed to maintain her concentration and self-control as she won her most competitive job.
Swiatek, a Polish woman who has received a one-month ban for a doping offence and who doesn’t want to “step on the court,” recently spoke about the emotional strain she has endured.
She hasn’t made a final since winning the French Open in June because of this defeat.
In the semi-finals, Eala will face American fourth seed Jessica Pegula or British tennis player Emma Raducanu who was given a wildcard to play at the WTA 1000 tournament.
She will be among the top 100 in the world next week.
Eala later told Sky Sports on court that “my mind is really blank because I don’t believe I’ve thought through what I just did.”
Eala triumphs against Swiatek as a student to become a master-trailblazer.
Even though she is only a teenager, Eala is already accustomed to leading the country and has a low tennis pedigree.
With the 2022 US Open title, she became the first Filipino to win a WTA Tour match and the first to claim a junior Grand Slam.
The teenager gracing the cover of Vogue back home as a result of their success in New York.
After defeating some of the biggest names on the WTA Tour to reach the last four, Eala has now made an announcement to a wider international audience.
She was a Rafael Nadal Academy graduate before making a stunning run in Miami. She had only won two major-drawn matches.
Grand Slam winners have faced off against Grand Slam champions in three of her four victories at the WTA 1000 event, which is the lower category of tournaments.
When Spanish 10th seed Paula Badosa withdrew injured in the fourth round, Eala was given a walkover, but she showed once more why she is regarded as an emerging star in Wednesday’s quarter-final.
In her first professional game against Swiatek, Eala put on a strong performance by being fearless, ferocious, and hitting a flurry of winners.
However, they had previously spoken when Swiatek and 22-time major winner Nadal presented Eala with her diploma two years ago.
Eala, who had Nadal’s uncle and former coach Toni in her coaching role against Swiatek, exclaimed, “It’s so surreal.” “I’m so happy and blessed to be able to compete with such a player at this point.
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Source: BBC
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