Eala has already proven several times in Florida that she is not afraid of big names. She beat Jelena Ostapenko (No. 25) in the second round before defeating Madison Keys in a thrilling match.
The moment when she shouted into the microphone after her match point in pure euphoria: "Mum, Dad, oh my God!" was one of the most emotional moments of the tournament.
In contrast, the quarter-final against Iga Swiatek was almost calm. In the first set she dominated the visibly stunned Polish player, in the second set she kept impressively composed and downed the top player.
If you are looking for another Filipino name in the ATP or WTA rankings, you will search in vain. Eala is the only player from her country to have made it into the top 1000 in the world - in both the men's and women's rankings.
Her victories against top 30 players are historic: never before has a representative of her country celebrated such success. But this is exactly what she sees as an incentive: "There are many people in the world to look up to, but I hope that all of this will help Philippine tennis to take the next step."
From Manila to Mallorca
Meanwhile, it is no coincidence that superstar Rafael Nadal also congratulated her personally. As a 13-year-old, she decided to go to the famous Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. A big step for the young Eala, who had to leave her home country to develop her talent.
"The academy has been my home for the last seven years," she says. A decision that has more than paid off.
Without any concrete role models in the tennis world, but with a sports-loving family behind her, Eala found her way onto the court. Her grandfather, a passionate club player, taught her and her brother how to play tennis. What began as a leisure activity developed into a career with international potential.
Eala's future is now
She already showed her exceptional talent as a junior. In 2022, she triumphed at the US Open in the junior competition, and in 2020 she reached the semi-finals of the French Open.
Her ambition is unbroken: "Every player on the tour imagines herself as a finished athlete. My goal is to make it on the WTA Tour, win Grand Slams and climb up the world rankings. I think I've taken a good step in that direction."
With her sensational run in Miami, Eala proved that she is ready for the big stage. After her masterpiece against Iga Swiatek, it is now more open than ever where her path will take her. But one thing is certain: the tennis world should remember this name.
Catch up on Eala vs Swiatek right here.
