Two young wild card entrants, Alexandra Eala and Victoria Mboko, made a significant impact in the Miami Open second round against seeded players. Eala, 19, achieved a career-defining victory by defeating No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(2), 7-5. Mboko, 18, nearly joined her in victory but was narrowly defeated 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(3) by No. 10 seed Paula Badosa.
Eala has been a prominent figure for a while, making it surprising that she is still a teenager. Representing the Philippines, a country with limited professional tennis history, she gained attention by winning the Les Petits As in 2018, a prestigious U14 tournament in France. In 2021, she became the first Filipina to win a WTA main-draw match, defeating Paula Ormaechea in Cluj-Napoca. Adding to her achievements, she secured the US Open junior title in 2022 and was featured on the cover of Vogue Philippines that same year.
Eala’s consistent progress has elevated her to No. 140 in the WTA rankings. Her win against Ostapenko is a milestone, marking her first victory over a Top 30 player and her first time winning consecutive matches at the tour level. Eala demonstrated resilience in two closely contested sets.
While Ostapenko is known for dramatic score fluctuations, in this match, Eala managed momentum shifts more effectively. Despite an initial setback of being down 4-0, Eala recovered to take the first set. Showing her own strong return game, she then took a 4-0 lead in the second set as Ostapenko’s accuracy faltered.
Ostapenko, known for her resilience, fought back with impressive winners, winning five games in a row and reaching set point at 5-4. However, Eala defended against it and concluded Ostapenko’s momentum with a three-game surge to secure the match victory.
Mboko entered her match against Badosa with an impressive 28-1 record for 2025. The Canadian player, a former Top 10 junior, has already claimed five ITF titles, improving her ranking from No. 333 to No. 162 in under three months. She also secured her first tour-level win against Camila Osorio in the first round. Facing Badosa was a significant step up, marking her first match against a Top 50 opponent.
The match against the Spanish player was a closely fought battle lasting 2 hours and 19 minutes, particularly in the third set where Mboko rallied from 5-2 down to equalize at 5-5. Mboko showcased powerful backhands and skillful volleys. In the deciding set, she displayed great determination. Badosa, known for her own fighting spirit, had to produce exceptional tennis, including remarkable backhand passing shots, to win the final tiebreak.
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth