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| Alex Eala turned emotional after slaying another giant in the Miami Open. |
MANILA—Alex Eala secured the biggest win of her professional career after defeating World No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, 7-6, 7-5, in the second round of the WTA 1000 Miami Open early Saturday (Manila Time).
Eala overcame a slow start, falling behind 0-4 in the first set before rallying to force a tiebreak.
She held her nerve in the tiebreak, edging Ostapenko to take the set 7-6.
The second set saw both players trade breaks, but Eala capitalized on a late opportunity to close out the match 7-5.
The victory marks Eala’s first win against a Top 30 opponent and her first time reaching the third round of a tour-level event.
Ostapenko, a former French Open champion, is the highest-ranked player Eala has faced since turning professional.
Eala’s win over Ostapenko follows her second-round victory against World No. 73 Katie Volynets, 6-3, 7-6.
The 19-year-old ranked No. 127 in the world will next face World No. 5 Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion.
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