Iga Swiatek makes feelings known on inconsistent season after shock defeat to Alexandra Eala at Miami Open
World No.2 Iga Swiatek hasn't yet lifted a WTA title since completing a threepeat at the French Open last year.
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Alexandra Eala, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Daily Tribune Sports, WTA)
Iga Swiatek‘s hunt for the season’s first WTA title continues. On Wednesday (March 26), teen sensation Alexandra Eala surprised the tennis world by knocking out the World No.2 with a 6-2, 7-5 scoreline in the Miami Open quarterfinals.
It was Switeak’s fifth exit from singles tournaments this season. She has made deep runs in all of the tournaments but could never reach the finals. The last time Swiatek progressed to the final and won the title was at the 2024 French Open.
Swiatek, who lifted the Miami Open in 2022, arrived in the city after her Indian Wells semifinal defeat to eventual winner Mirra Andreeva. As her Sunshine Double campaign came to an end, Swiatek will continue her search for a title on the clay courts, where perhaps no current WTA player is as formidable as the 23-year-old Polish ace.
I don’t want to dwell on it too much [on her inconsistent season]. It’s good to learn from losses, but yes, there are other things ahead, and I’m happy that we’re going to play on clay now. I don’t know how this year will be, but I’ll definitely work hard to be ready for the early tournaments.
Iga Swiatek said at the press conference
Swiatek had won three of her five titles on clay last year. She had won three back-to-back events in Madrid, Rome, and Paris; while the rest of the two trophies she lifted on the hard courts of the Qatar Open and Indian Wells.
Iga Swiatek reveals how Alexandra Eala was successful in beating her
Alexandra Eala has reached the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time. She became the only player from the Philippines to advance to a WTA semifinal. With her win over Iga Swiatek, the 19-year-old will become the first Filipina to book a spot inside the top 100 the next Monday. Following the defeat, Swiatek reflected on how Eala was successful in knocking her out of the tournament.
I didn’t know she was going to play so flat, but she was very aggressive and kept her focus throughout the match. And many of these shots seemed to come out of nowhere. But still, I could clearly see that she intended to go forward and pressure me. So, it worked quite well for her.
Iga Swiatek said at the press conference
Eala also became the third wild card to secure a spot in the Miami Open semifinals since Justine Henin in 2010 and Victoria Azarenka in 2018. En route to upsetting Swiatek, the teenager also knocked out two more Grand Slam champions.
She beat Jelena Ostapenko in the second round and 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the third round. Before this tournament, Eala had never secured wins over the top 40 players and beat two from the top 10 for the first time.
Iga Swiatek loses to a player outside the top 100 for the third time
Since her defeat to then 338-ranked Ana Konjuh in the third round of the 2021 Miami Open, Iga Swiatek never registered defeats against players ranked outside the top 100 in the main draw events. Before Konjuh, the Pole suffered defeat against a then 106-ranked Karolina Muchova in the first round of Prague in 2019.
Alexandra Eala has now become only the third player ranked outside of the top 100 to beat Swiatek in main draw events. She also became the third player to reach her first WTA semifinal at the Miami Open. Eala’s semifinal opponent is fourth seed Jessica Pegula, who ended the campaign of a resurgent Emma Raducanu in three sets in the quarterfinals.
Eala could meet World No. Aryna Sabalenka in the final. But before the final, the Belarusian will have to eliminate two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini.
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