THE ROAD doesn’t stop in Miami for the Filipino queen after being “Czech-ed” again.
Of the 13th time in many matches, Alexandra “Alex” Eala failed to solve the puzzle of the Czech and as a result dropped to the bottom of the world ranking after finishing the Last 16 in her return to the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium.
From number 29, Mrs. Eala dropped to number 45 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) live rankings with 270 points after recovering just 120 points in three rounds from a total of 390 points she lost at the start of the tournament. The 20-year-old ace cruised through the first round as the No. 31 seed before defeating Laura Siegemund and Magda Linette in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.
The WTA is yet to officially review the rankings this week but moves are expected before or after Ms. Eala in a live tracker depending on the results of other players’ campaigns in the level 1000 quest.
As tense as sinking after falling into another trap of Czech world No. 14 Karolina Muchova in the Round of 16 using a methodical clinic 6-0, 6-2 in just 60 minutes, Ms. Eala still sees the big picture.
“I’m in a situation where this tournament is not all or nothing. Do you know what I mean? Not everything is on the line. But in terms of how I deal with expectations and outside noise, I know my truth,” Ms. Eala said on the WTA website, looking ahead to the clay season starting with the Linz Open in Austria next month.
Before Ms. Muchova, Mrs. Eala also lost the last 12 matches against Czech players: Anastasia Zarycka (2020 ITF Spain, 6-2, 6-4), Gabriela Knutson (2023 ITF France, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1), Tereza Martincova (2024 ITF-3, Katerina, 6-6, 6-1) Siniakova (2024 Wuhan Open, 6-3, 6-1), Marie Bouzkova (2024 Jiangxi Open, 7-5, 7-6, and 2024 Guadalajara Open, 6-2, 6-2), Linda Fruhvirtova (2025 Birmingham Classic, 7-5, 6 K-6-1-7), Wimbledon, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1) and Marketa Vondroussova (2025 National Bank Open, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2).
This year, she bowed out again to Tereza Valentova, 7-6, 6-1, at the Qatar Open after losing earlier 6-1, 6-2 at the 2025 Japan Women’s Open before losing to Linda Noskova in the Last 16 of the Indian Wells Open, 6-2, 6-0, last week and Ms. Muchova night on Monday with Mrs.
Mrs. Eala marched into Miami Gardens with lofty goals of repeating his last four points from last year but he also knew the tall order this time, as he turned 31.St as a woman tagged in the main event compared to being an unknown wildcard last year.
Then it was only number 140 in the qualifying rounds, Ms. Eala braved the odds and reeled off seven straight wins to reach the final four for the grand prize of 390 points, putting him in the Top 100 for the first time.
Mrs. Eala used that incredible run, which included wins against a group of Grand Slam champions and Top 20 players to become the first Filipina WTA semifinalist in history, to later break into the Top 50, Top 40 and Top 30.
But those points expired when he played his first match back in Miami this week, falling just two wins shy of a coveted semis bid to secure the aforementioned ranking points and stay in the Top 30.
Although she had achieved it when she was young, Ms. Eala said she was still learning the ropes and part of it was winning and losing to the world’s best players even though she happened to encounter a Czech curse when she was about to break the Top 20.
“You can argue that everything I do is to prepare for those players. I do a lot, but I do it to prepare all different types of players,” Ms. Eala was happy.
“We are in the era of strong players. I am in the process of getting stronger. I am still strong. But I think I have different strengths, others, not only strength. I have different stages in my game.”
Finally, Mrs. Eala – whether he is back in the Top 40-50 or on the edge of the world’s Top 20 – is always grateful for what he has achieved and will achieve it in a way that goes beyond the tennis courts.
With the pride of the Philippines who has become a world tennis star today with jam packed venues in every city, the journey has just begun as he renews the 500 and 1000 level tour series over three Grand Slam campaigns (Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open) this season.
“I think the fact that I realized that I was also blessed to live my life, I earned it and put in the work.
“I have seen poverty in the area where I live and I don’t take it lightly, especially my family and my team and the opportunities I can get, that’s why I always say thank you.” – John Bryan Ulanday
