MIAMI — The Miami Open was thrilled to host tennis legends Serena Williams and Juan Martin del Potro on Tuesday night. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was excited to take photos with them.

On Wednesday afternoon, another tennis icon, Uncle Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal`s former coach, appeared in Alexandra Eala`s box. He was there to support Eala, a young left-handed player from the Rafa Nadal Academy.

The 19-year-old Eala from the Philippines continued her surprising journey through the tournament, achieving a remarkable 6-2, 7-5 victory over World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. She has reached Thursday’s semifinals and will face No. 4 Jessica Pegula for the first time.

“From the start, I believed I could compete with her level,” Eala said. “She is highly accomplished and someone I’ve admired for a while.”

Eala`s semifinal appearance matches the best result for a wild card entry at the Miami Open since its inception in 1985, equaling the achievements of Justine Henin (2010) and Victoria Azarenka (2018).

The other exciting semifinal match will feature World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka against Jasmine Paolini. Both players secured straight-set victories on Tuesday, Sabalenka over Zheng Qinwen and Paolini over Magda Linette.

How will these semifinal matches unfold? Here’s an analysis of each player`s chances:

Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1) vs. Jasmine Paolini (No. 6)

Sabalenka`s Case: In her quarterfinal against Zheng, Sabalenka faced a critical moment while serving at 3-4 in the second set, going down 0-40. Despite struggling with her serve and getting broken three times in a row, she turned the situation around.

Sabalenka won five consecutive points to tie the game at 4-4, then held serve easily and broke Zheng again. She then served out the set, winning 13 straight service points.

“I’m happy with how I managed my emotions. Even when my serve wasn’t working, I kept fighting for every point,” Sabalenka said. “I’m very proud of that.”

This victory marks Sabalenka`s sixth win in six matches against Zheng. She also defeated defending champion Danielle Collins in straight sets in the previous round. Sabalenka has a favorable record against Paolini, winning three out of four matches at the WTA level. In their two most recent encounters, at the 2024 WTA Finals and 2023 Beijing, Paolini didn`t win a set.

Sabalenka`s consistency is remarkable. She is only the fourth World No. 1 player to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Miami in the same year, joining Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, and Serena Williams.

Sabalenka has won 10 of her last 12 matches against Top 10 opponents. Based in Miami, she appears refreshed and eager to overcome her loss in the Indian Wells final to Mirra Andreeva.

Paolini`s Case: This is the impressive Paolini that fans admired last year.

Her defensive skills are exceptional. Even at 29, she remains one of the fastest players on the court. This speed was key to her three-set victory over Naomi Osaka in the third round.

Osaka mentioned being surprised by Paolini’s height and the speed of her returns. Paolini continued this form with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 quarterfinal win over Magda Linette.

Paolini entered the tournament with a 8-5 record, decent but not as strong as last year.

“I think I’ve played well this season,” Paolini said. “But I haven’t had a significant result. I lost many matches, but against strong opponents. It was tough, but I kept telling myself, ‘I’m close.’ Maybe this confidence boost came here.”

For the first time since reaching the Wimbledon final last year, Paolini has won four consecutive WTA matches and reached her first semifinal of 2025.

Their first match was eight years ago at an ITF event in Ilkley, England, before Wimbledon. Paolini, then ranked slightly lower than Sabalenka, won in a third-set tiebreak after qualifying for the main draw.

Paolini, playing with passion, will be motivated to recreate that victory.

Jessica Pegula (No. 4) vs. Alexandra Eala

Pegula`s Case: Eala`s inexperience at the elite level hasn`t been a disadvantage so far, with Ostapenko, Keys, and Swiatek struggling against the young player.

Pegula, while yet to win a Grand Slam singles title, is known for her consistency. She typically performs as expected and wins against lower-ranked players.

Pegula defeated a resurgent Emma Raducanu, demonstrating her steady play. Pegula`s consistent rallies proved decisive in her 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory.

Pegula is only the second American since 2009 to reach the Miami Open quarterfinals for four straight years, following Serena Williams. She is remarkably reliable on hard courts.

Despite her late-night win over Raducanu, Pegula has ample time to recover for her semifinal match.

“It’s my third Miami semifinal,” Pegula said, “and I hope the third time is the charm. I really want to reach the final. I’ll give it my best shot tomorrow night.”

Eala`s Case: Eala immediately showed her aggressive intent against Swiatek by positioning herself close to the baseline to receive serves. Against second serves, she often stepped inside the baseline.

Eala broke Swiatek`s serve five times in a row at the start of the match, converting 8 of 10 break points. Swiatek, usually strong on serve, won only 39 percent of her service points against Eala.

While Eala`s serves are not overpowering, her flat forehand effectively took time away from Swiatek, making the four-time Roland Garros champion appear rushed.

After her earlier wins, Eala was emotional, but after defeating Swiatek, she remained composed, seemingly in disbelief at her achievement.

“I was so focused on each point that it’s hard to grasp what just happened,” she said. “It’s difficult to realize you won the match. I tried to take it all in because this is a new experience for me.”

Eala has reached the semifinals without dropping a set, although she received a walkover from Paula Badosa due to injury.

“Winning Grand Slams has always been a major goal,” Eala stated. “Becoming No. 1 is another. I believe this result has come at the right moment. Success as a junior doesn`t guarantee professional success.”

“So, I made sure to work hard daily and trust that my opportunity would come, and hopefully, this is it.”