Filipina Alexandra Eala’s dream run ends at Miami Open after loss to Jessica Pegula
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Jessica Pegula shares a moment with Alexandra Eala after their Miami Open semi-final clash.
PHOTO: AFP
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MIAMI – Philippine sensation Alexandra Eala has no regrets, as her remarkable run at the Miami Open came to a brave end with a three-set loss to Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals on March 27.
In an enthralling battle over 2hr 26min, fourth-seeded American Pegula emerged with a 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 6-3 win to seal a place in the March 29 final against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who put on a comprehensive display to demolish Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2.
The 19-year-old Eala, ranked 140th in the world, had only two WTA main-draw victories before arriving in Miami.
But she proceeded to beat three Grand Slam winners in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.
The lowest-ranked semi-finalist in the tournament’s history, Eala seriously threatened to go one step further with another accomplished and effervescent display.
The tide looked to have turned against her when Pegula broke to go 3-1 up in the second set, but Eala broke back and her fist pump and look of determination were signs of things to come.
She broke Pegula three times in the set and was broken twice herself but crucially was able to hold when serving for the set at 6-5.
Both players protected their serve better in the deciding set. But Eala’s forehand let her down when the American broke to go 5-3 up and she served out for a victory that brought her visible relief.
“Of course there is disappointment right after the match,” said Eala. “But there are just so many times in tennis where you have to dig through the dirt to look for the positive...
“I’m just enjoying because there is so much positive around me and I don’t know how many times that happens.”
Playing with a strapped thigh from the outset, Eala turned her ankle midway through the second set but said she had not been impacted by the injury.
“I literally gave everything I had, I’m half-tape, I’m like a mummy. I did everything and I have no regrets,” she added.
“To have a week like this, the stars need to align and they did this week, and hopefully I can keep that up – that is my goal now, to keep this up.”
Pegula said it had been difficult to play an opponent like Eala.
“I let her back in the match at 3-1 up (second set) and she just started ripping her balls, going for her shots and you just have to weather the storm with people like that. She competes really well,” she said.
Earlier, Sabalenka needed just 71 minutes to wrap up her win against the sixth-seeded Paolini.
The Belarusian, beaten in the Indian Wells final earlier in March by Mirra Andreeva, will appear in the Miami final for the first time in her career.
“I’m super happy with the level I played today. Of course super happy to be in my first Miami Open final,” said Sabalenka.
She was never behind against Paolini. She served six aces and broke the Italian’s serve four times.
“I definitely would say that this was one of the best matches in the season so far. I don’t know. I was just so focused on myself, on the things I had to do today,” Sabalenka added.
“It felt like everything was just going smoothly my way.”
Sabalenka will be keen to banish the memory of defeat in the Indian Wells final and in the Australian Open final, where she lost to Keys.
“The lessons (of those defeats) was I believe to focus on myself, not on what’s going on the other side,” she said.
“I think in those finals I was more focusing on my opponents than on myself. I think I just have to bring the same attitude, the same mindset that I had today, I think I have to bring it in the finals.
“I really feel this time I’m going to do better than I did in the last two finals.” AFP
