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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Alex Eala goes for another Cinderella run after being listed in 2026 Miami Open

Alex Eala goes for another Cinderella run after being listed in 2026 Miami Open

Published Feb 20, 2026 02:18 pm

At A Glance

  • According to the competition website, the world No. 47 Eala is joining a stacked field that features the top 74 female players in the world that include world No. 1 and reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka and last year's runner-up Jessica Pegula, five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, No. 3 Elena Rybakina and No. 4 Coco Gauff.
Alex Eala is included in the player's list of the 2026 Miami Open. (AP)
Alex Eala is included in the player's list of the 2026 Miami Open. (AP)
Alex Eala gets another shot at making a bigger impact after being included in this year’s Miami Open slated March 15 to 29 at the Hard Rock Stadium.
According to the competition website, the world No. 47 Eala is joining a stacked field that features the top 74 female players in the world that include world No. 1 and reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka and last year’s runner-up Jessica Pegula, five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek, No. 3 Elena Rybakina and No. 4 Coco Gauff.
Also in the list are Top 10 players Amanda Anisimova, Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina and Victoria Mboko.
It was in this tournament that Eala’s meteoric rise began. Last year, the Filipina tennis sensation entered the event ranked at No. 140 and went on to stun Grand Slam champions that include Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Swiatek, before losing to Pegula in the semifinals.
She became the first Filipina to win over a Top 10 player since WTA rankings were created in 1975.
Her Cinderella run ended in the semifinals where she lost to Pegula.
So much has changed since then. The 20-year-old has now played in all main draw of the Grand Slams and won her breakthrough WTA singles title at the Guadalajara Open a few months after that Miami stint.
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