Dream run ends for Alex Eala with loss to Pegula in Miami Open semis

MANILA, March 29 ------ Alex Eala's sensational campaign in the 2025 Miami Open came to an end with the Filipino teenager falling to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula of the United States. Pegula was made to work by Eala, but the American managed to take care of business in a gruelling three-set affair, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-3, at the Hard Rock Stadium to advance to the finals of the WTA1000 tournament. There, she will take on world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who demolished Italy's Jasmine Paolini in her own semis match, 6-2, 6-2. 

Despite the loss, it was an unforgettable campaign for the 19-year-old Eala, who made headlines with a series of upsets against higher-ranked opponents. She soaked in the love from the crowd after the match, pumping her fists amid a chorus of cheers. Before losing to Pegula, Eala had eliminated former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the second round, then stunned reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the third round. Eala received a walkover to the quarterfinals when her opponent, world No. 11 Paula Badosa of Spain, withdrew due to a back injury. It was in the last eight that Eala put together her most impressive performance yet, powering past world No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. 

She ultimately faltered against Pegula, a former US Open finalist who owns seven WTA singles titles. But it was far from a straightforward triumph for the American, who acknowledged after the match that she was "so, so tired" in the wake of the two-hour, 24-minute marathon. 

"I mean, she's really good. Really good tennis player. Goes for her shots, takes the ball early, rips, being a lefty so it's tricky. Competes really well," the 31-year-old Pegula said of her opponent. "I mean, obviously, she's beaten a lot of top players this week." "I don't really think she needs me to tell her that she's a great player, that we're not gonna see enough of her. But we definitely are, and she proved that tonight. I mean, that was really tough," she added. 

Eala appeared poised to take the opening set after surging to a 5-2 lead, twice breaking Pegula's serve and launching forehand winners.  

Pegula held her serve for 5-3, but Eala rallied in the ninth game to reach set point. She had the chance to serve for the set, but unfortunately for the Filipina, she committed back-to-back double faults that shifted the advantage to Pegula, and the American broke her serve for a 5-4 score. Pegula grew in confidence from there, and the American pounced on Eala's errors to win the tiebreak. 

Eala gave Pegula a dose of her own medicine in the second set, when she recovered from a 1-3 deficit and clawed her way back for a 4-3 advantage. Pegula rebounded, winning four points in a row to break Eala's serve for 4-4, and riding that momentum to seize the lead in the next game. Serving to stay in the match, Eala benefited from a series of errors by Pegula before firing a forehand winner and then an ace to tie the set. More unforced errors by Pegula gave the Filipina teen the lead, and she served out to force a decider. 

Both players held their serve in the first seven games of the third set, but Eala's forehand eventually faltered and Pegula broke her for a 5-3 advantage that she would not relinquish. A relieved Pegula will now turn her attention to Sabalenka in the final. "Aryna, another hardcourt final for us. Hopefully I can get the better of her this time," she said. "It's always a tough challenge, and you know, I'm just gonna have to try my best to take her out on Saturday." 

Eala, who entered the tournament ranked 140th in the world, is now poised to enter the WTA Top 100 and collect her biggest prize purse yet. She only had two WTA main draw victories prior to the Miami Open, but is now tipped for greater things after her breakthrough campaign. 

Source: news.abs-cbn.com