Alex Eala upsets Jelena Ostapenko at Miami Open

Filipina tennis player Alex Eala secured an upset victory over Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko with a score of 7-6 (2), 7-5 early Saturday morning (Philippine time) at the Miami Open, advancing to face world No. 5 Madison Keys in the third round.

Ranked no. 140 by WTA, Eala has been predicted by oddsmakers to lose in straight sets but defied those odds with her impressive back-to-back wins over Katie Volynets and Ostapenko.

Eala's victory was hard-fought as she erased a flat start with strong returns and aggressive play before narrowly winning both set tiebreakers against Ostapenko, who dropped six aces throughout the contest.

After clinching the win over Ostapenko, Eala emotionally celebrated her biggest career victory to date, clutching her chest and crying amidst the cheering crowd.

Eala's recent improvements in footwork and service game have made her quicker on court and steadier during rallies, preventing opponents from attacking her usual area of vulnerability.