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Australian Open Champion Madison Keys Eliminated from Miami Open
In a surprising turn of events, Australian Open champion and current world number five, Madison Keys, has been ousted from the Miami Open following a decisive 6-4, 6-2 loss to 19-year-old wildcard Alexandra Eala from the Philippines.
With this victory, Eala has made history as the first woman from the Philippines to defeat a top-10 player in the WTA rankings since the Open era began in 1975. Eala, currently ranked 140 in the world, has proven her mettle by eliminating two Grand Slam champions during the tournament, including 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, whom she defeated in the previous round.
Reflecting on her journey, Eala remarked, “Growing up it was tough. You didn’t have anyone from where you’re from to pave the way.” Having trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca since she was 13, she expressed hope that her success could elevate the status of Filipino tennis on the world stage.
Eala’s next challenge will be against Spain’s Paula Badosa, who advanced to the last 16 after overcoming Denmark’s Clara Tauson with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
Meanwhile, former champion and second seed Iga Swiatek continues to showcase her dominance, advancing with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 win over Belgian 27th seed Elise Mertens. Swiatek’s achievement in reaching the last 16 marks an impressive streak, making her the first player to achieve this milestone in 25 consecutive WTA 1000 events since Cincinnati in 2021.
Swiatek is set to face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, who secured her spot in the next round by defeating 15th seed Karolina Muchova with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Source
www.bbc.com