Alexandra Eala, the rising Filipino star, is set for a highly anticipated rematch against world number two Iga Swiatek in the second round of the Madrid Open this week. The matchup brings to fruition a casual remark Swiatek made to a young Eala years ago, adding a compelling narrative layer to the tournament.
Eala, 19, advanced to the second round after defeating Viktoriya Tomova in her opening match at the Madrid Open. Her win over the Bulgarian player marked her second career victory at the WTA 1000 level event.
This appearance in the second round matches Eala's best previous result at the Madrid Open, having also reached this stage in 2024 before falling to Sorana Cirstea. Her overall record at the event now stands at 2-2.
The upcoming clash with Swiatek is a repeat of their quarterfinal meeting at the Miami Open earlier this year. Eala pulled off a significant upset in that match, beating the top-ranked player to reach the semifinals, a breakthrough moment in her young career.
Eala's success in Miami, where she defeated multiple former Grand Slam champions including Swiatek, has carried momentum into the clay court season. She continues to establish herself as a top young player on the WTA Tour.
Currently ranked 70th in the live WTA rankings, Eala is the second-highest ranked teenager in women's tennis, trailing only Mirra Andreeva. Her trajectory has drawn considerable attention within the sport.
Adding another layer to her story, Eala has trained for several years at the academy of Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal. She recently reflected on the opportunity to interact with Nadal and express her gratitude for the experience.
Eala also shared the memorable first interaction she had with Iga Swiatek back in 2023. Swiatek was a guest speaker at Eala's high school graduation.
Speaking on the Madrid Open's YouTube channel, Eala recalled the moment: "She was the guest speaker in our graduation when I graduated from high school. I was super excited, it’s such a good story because when I walked up to the podium, took the picture or whatever, she said, ‘Oh, I’ll see you on tour.’ I was like ‘Oh, she knows me!’"
