Miami Open 2025 results: Iga Swiatek loses to Filipino teenager Alexandra Eala in quarter-finals

Alexandra Eala, a mere 19-year-old Filipino teenager, continued her dream run at the Miami Open, stunning five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek to advance to the semi-finals. Eala, ranked No. 140 in the world, defeated the tournament's second seed Swiatek 6-2, 7-5, completing the most significant victory of her career. This win showcases her potential on the international stage.

The 23-year-old Swiatek was not at her best during the match, losing her serve multiple times and being broken a total of eight times. Her baseline shots also appeared unstable, leading to numerous forehand errors. It has been reported that Swiatek had increased security in Miami after being verbally attacked by an "aggressive and taunting" fan. These factors could have contributed to her performance.

Former British No. 1 Tim Henman, who watched the match as a Sky Sports analyst, stated, "That’s probably one of the biggest upsets I’ve ever witnessed courtside." Swiatek had previously spoken publicly about the emotional difficulties she has faced in recent months, including a one-month ban for a doping violation, which at one point made her not want to "step on the court." This loss means she has not reached any finals since winning the French Open in June, highlighting a challenging period for her.

Eala, who entered the Miami Open as a wildcard, will face British player Emma Raducanu or American fourth seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals. Her world ranking will enter the top 100 for the first time next week. "My brain is blank, I don’t think I’ve digested what I just did," Eala told Sky Sports after the match, "At the end of the day, I’m still the same player I was two weeks ago." This victory marks a significant milestone in her career.

Eala comes from a country with a weak tennis foundation, and despite still being a teenager, she is already accustomed to being a pioneer for the Philippines. In 2021, she became the first Filipino player to win a WTA Tour match, and in 2022, she became the first Filipino player to win a junior Grand Slam title at the US Open. This victory in New York even landed the teenager on the cover of Vogue magazine in her home country. Eala, a graduate of the Rafael Nadal Academy, had only won two main draw matches before achieving her astonishing success on the Miami hard courts.

In men's singles, German top seed Alexander Zverev was eliminated in the fourth round by French player Arthur Fils. Zverev lost to the 17th-seeded Fils 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, leaving Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic as the only two remaining top-ten seeds in the quarter-finals. Djokovic will play American 24th seed Sebastian Korda in the quarter-finals later on Wednesday. The winner will face Bulgarian 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who defeated Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

The British duo Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool advanced to the men's doubles semi-finals with a 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 10-8 victory over Indian player Yuki Bhambri and Portuguese player Nuno Borges. Their teamwork and strategic play secured their spot in the next round.