Alexandra Eala has made history on the WTA Tour this year and is continuing to add silverware to her name.
The Filipina recently clinched a WTA 125 title in Guadalajara, just two weeks after becoming the first player from her country ever to win a match at a Grand Slam.
Eala beat Clara Tauson in the first round of the US Open in August, coming through in a third-set tiebreak to secure the victory.
It was an incredible accomplishment for the 20-year-old graduate from the Rafael Nadal Academy, but, by her own account, not the biggest feat of her career so far.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesAlexandra Eala recalls her biggest achievement of the 2025 season
When asked in an interview with ‘Clay‘ if her victory in New York was bigger than her incredible run to the Miami Open semifinals, Eala said: “That’s a very difficult comparison… I think both were very historic.
“I would have to say Miami, though, because I feel like it was… It’s difficult to say. They’re each very, very special in my heart.
“I would have to say Miami because I think it was a longer run. But obviously, my match against [Denmark’s Clara] Tauson was so, so emotional.
In March, Eala took the tennis world by storm when she burst onto the scene at the Miami Open, beating seeded stars such as Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek.
She ultimately fell in the final four to Jessica Pegula, who defeated her in three sets.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesAlexandra Eala names the two players that inspired her
Eala did not have a tennis role model from the Philippines to look up to when she was growing up, but that did not stop her from achieving her dreams.
She explained: “Obviously, representation is so important because it inspires. But I don’t think you should be limited by that to take inspiration.
“So for me, I was inspired by, let’s say, [Maria] Sharapova, because she was so aggressive and mentally tough.
“But then on the other side, I also looked up to Li Na because she was Asian. So there’s a difference. You can take different inspirations from anyone you want.”
At tour-level events in her breakout season, Eala has tallied a record of 32 wins to 19 losses and is currently ranked 61st in the world.