HISTORY will have to wait, as Alex Eala succumbed to world No. 4 Jessica Pegula, 6(3)-7, 7-5, 3-6, Friday, in the semifinal of the WTA 1000 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida.
Making her opponent work all throughout, Eala extended the match to three sets, her first of the year, but Pegula proved too mature to falter during the decider.
Alex makes a mark
The result ended Eala’s dream run after being hailed as a giant-slayer, defeating three top players - Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek - after entering the tournament as a wildcard.
Still, just by reaching the quarterfinals, Eala is already assured of $332,160 in prize money and a huge leap to her career rankings - currently at No. 75, but is expected to be updated in a few days.
The match, which lasted two hours and 26 minutes, saw the 31-year-old Pegula admitting that she was challenged by fatigue, as the Filipino forced a decider.
A breathless Pegula said in the post-match interview: “I'm tired. I'm really tired. She's really good and competes really well. That was really tough.”
For her part, Pegula showed maturity by overcoming a slow start, as Eala’s shots were just a bit too strong. By the end of the first set, Pegula forced a tiebreak at 6-6 then raced to seven points.
Still riding her winning momentum, the American set the pace in the next frame before Eala broke her streak by winning three games in a row, each one fiercely contested, to lead 4-3 and slow down Pegula.
Picking up her pace, Pegula caught up with the Filipino teenager at 4-4, but Eala regained her composure, winning two consecutive games and eventually forcing Set 3.
Entering the tournament, Pegula had won all five of her three-set matches in 2025.
Despite trailing Pegula in the third set, Eala managed to tie the score at 2-2 through her aggressiveness and impressive footwork, all while dealing with an ankle injury.
Pegula, however, showcased maturity by winning four consecutive games to officially book her ticket to the finals, where she will face Aryna Sabalenka.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
