Filipina tennis standout Alex Eala is set to compete in two of the biggest tournaments on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) calendar after being included in the main draws of the upcoming events in Indian Wells and Miami this March.
Eala is among the players listed in the 96-player singles draw of the prestigious BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which kicks off on March 4. The tournament is widely regarded as the most-attended tennis event in the world outside of the Grand Slam competitions.
The 20-year-old Filipina is also part of the player acceptance list for the Miami Open, set to begin on March 17 in Miami, according to information released by the WTA.
Eala joins a stacked field in Miami that includes some of the sport’s biggest names such as Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Jessica Pegula.
Last year’s edition of the Miami Open proved to be a historic breakthrough for Eala after she stunned Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Swiatek en route to a semifinal finish.
Her impressive campaign eventually came to an end against Pegula, but the deep run propelled her into the WTA Top 100 and sparked what would become a milestone season for Philippine tennis.
With her inclusion in both tournaments this year, Eala is expected to build on last season’s momentum as she continues her climb in the professional ranks on the global stage.
"I'll keep working on it."
Eala’s campaign so far this season saw her conclude the Middle Swing with a high-stakes battle against world No. 4 Coco Gauff at the Quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. However, the third seed’s tactics were too swift for Eala to match, and she eventually bowed out after a 6-0, 6-2 defeat.
In her post-game interview, the Filipina tennis star admitted that there is still a gap between her level and that of Gauff and other world-class players, but she is determined to keep improving and raising her performance in upcoming matches.
"I think she did great and my job is to try and close that gap and I think I'm doing that quite well. So I'll keep working on it," Eala said.
With her inclusion in both Indian Wells and Miami this year, Eala is expected to build on last season’s momentum as she continues her climb in the professional ranks on the global stage.
