Filipino tennis star Alex Eala made a statement in her Miami Open main draw debut, securing a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 victory over Katie Volynets to notch her first-ever win in the tournament.

Volynets is ranked #73 by the WTA, while Eala is ranked #140.

The 19-year-old Eala entered the tournament as one of eight wildcard recipients. 

She delivered a composed performance against Volynets, controlling the first set before battling through a tense second-set tiebreak to seal the win.

Eala’s next challenge is set against Latvia’s Jeļena Ostapenko, the WTA World No. 5 and 2017 French Open champion.

With her first Miami Open main draw victory under her belt, Eala has further solidified her status as a rising star proudly representing the Philippines on one of tennis’ biggest stages.