At just 19 years old, Alexandra Eala displays remarkable composure, especially considering her performance last month in Miami, where she surprised both the tennis world and herself.
Entering that hard-court tournament ranked No. 140 by the PIF WTA, the engaging Filipina had no previous wins against Top 100 players in WTA Tour-level main draws. However, she then proceeded to defeat three Grand Slam champions – Jelena Ostapenko (ranked No. 25), Madison Keys (ranked No. 5), and Iga Swiatek (ranked No. 2) – on her path to the semifinals.
While Eala certainly believed in her ability to compete with Top 100 opponents, the extent of her success was unexpected. “What was quite a shock to me was that I won against Top 10 and Top 5 players,” Eala stated recently. Despite this “happy shock,” her pre-match mindset remains focused on the belief that she can win.
She will need to tap into that confidence for her second-round match at the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday afternoon. Following her 6-3, 6-2 win over Viktoriya Tomova, Eala is scheduled for a rapid rematch against Swiatek, who boasts the best active winning percentage on clay courts (90-12, .882).
Eala commented on Swiatek`s versatility, describing her as an “all-court player” who performs effectively on both hard surfaces and clay. Nevertheless, she stressed that “each match is a different story,” implying that a repeat encounter, even against the same opponent and potentially in the same location in the future, will not replicate the previous one.
Their initial meeting in Miami was a surprising 6-2, 7-5 outcome. Eala, a left-handed player, seemed to benefit from the element of surprise. She successfully broke Swiatek`s serve three times in the first set and consistently applied pressure. Swiatek, who noted Eala`s aggressive, “all out” approach and flat hitting, committed an uncharacteristically high 32 unforced errors in that match.
Facing the four-time Roland Garros champion on clay presents a different challenge. Swiatek has a formidable 13-2 record in Madrid, whereas Eala has only played one main-draw match here prior to this tournament.
“I feel like I know this place pretty well so I’m going to for sure use the experience — but the experience doesn’t play, though,” Swiatek remarked in a recent press conference.
When asked about qualities she admired in other players, Eala mentioned Aryna Sabalenka`s serve and specifically highlighted two aspects of Swiatek`s game.
Eala expressed admiration for Swiatek`s “intensity and her footwork,” identifying these as areas she could significantly improve upon, observe closely, and attempt to incorporate into her own game.
Despite the suddenness of her success in Miami, Eala has worked diligently to remain composed and grounded. She shared that receiving a message from 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu was particularly encouraging.
Eala feels a connection with Andreescu, who also achieved major success at age 19, believing she understands the pressures and “struggles” that come with such rapid ascension. Notably, Andreescu has not advanced beyond the Round of 16 at a Grand Slam since her 2019 triumph.
Life has undergone significant changes for the graduate of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain. A year ago, a loss in a WTA 125 event would likely have gone unnoticed, but after her second-round defeat last week in Oeiras, Portugal, against Panna Udvardy, some observers questioned if her Miami run was merely a fluke.
“A lot of external factors have changed — more eyes on me, there’s more exposure,” said Eala, whose ranking has climbed to No. 72. “But in the day-to-day, how I feel internally, nothing has changed much. Because the work ethic has always been there, my team has been so down to earth, keeping me grounded.”
Eala sees Miami as an ongoing source of inspiration but is actively trying to put it behind her, despite constant reminders and questions. “In my mind, I have my whole life to look back at those moments and I’ll always have those memories,” she explained. However, she added that “the tour goes on, competition goes on,” and her current focus is “fully focused on Madrid.”
Meanwhile, Swiatek will be entirely focused on the challenge Eala presents. She will prepare tactically with coach Wim Fissette before stepping onto Manolo Santana Stadium, fully aware of her status as the world`s leading player on clay. Whether this advantage will be decisive this time remains to be seen.
When questioned about a potential advantage, Swiatek responded, “I haven’t started the tournament yet, so you best need to let me go on court and feel what I feel, you know?” She indicated she would be better able to answer after the match.
“I’m not going to predict anything, like I`m not a wizard,” Swiatek concluded. She emphasized the need to approach this match “like any other match,” stating that “it doesn’t really matter what happened in Miami.”
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth