Alex Eala advances to Miami Open main draw with upset win

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala secured an automatic spot in the Miami Open's main draw for the third time in four years, advancing to the round of 64 with a stunning upset victory over American Katie Volynets by a score of 6-3, 7-6(3) on Wednesday, March 19 (Thursday, March 20 Manila time).

Ranked No. 140 in the world, Eala received one of eight wildcard entries into this prestigious WTA1000 event and faced a formidable challenge from her higher-ranked opponent who is ranked No. 73.

Eala's victory marked her first major WTA win while also triumphing for the first time in the main draw round of the tournament, earning her considerable attention.

Her next challenge sees Eala facing Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko, currently ranked No. 25 and the 2017 French Open champion, further solidifying her status as a rising star representing the Philippines on one of tennis' biggest stages.