HIGHLIGHTS: Alex Eala vs Jessica Pegula – 2025 Miami Open semifinal

• Alex Eala looks to add to her historic 2025 Miami Open run as she takes on world No.4 Jessica Pegula in the semifinal on March 28 (Philippine time).
• The Filipino tennis ace is the first from the country to reach the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament after she beat three Grand Slam champions.

Alex Eala earns biggest purse of her career with Miami Open run

MANILA, Philippines — After an inspiring run at the 2025 Miami Open, Alex Eala is set to bring home approximately $332,160 (around P19 million) in prize money as a semifinalist in the WTA 1000 event.

Eala fell short against World No. 4 Jessica Pegula in a grueling semifinal duel, 6(3)-7, 7-5, 3-6, on Friday. However, her deep tournament run comes with a significant boost in both earnings and ranking points, securing 390 WTA points.

Alex Eala earns praise from Jessica Pegula after Miami Open battle

MANILA, Philippines — World No. 4 Jessica Pegula had nothing but praise for Alex Eala, who pushed her to her limits in their grueling semifinal duel in the 2025 Miami Open on Friday (Manila time).

Pegula was visibly relieved after surviving the Filipino tennis sensation in a thrilling two-hour and 25-minute classic, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3 that went past midnight.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Alex Eala vs Jessica Pegula

Alex Eala bows to Jessica Pegula as Miami Open dream run ends

Alex Eala ended her dream run in the 2025 Miami Open on Friday, but not before dragging World No. 4 Jessica Pegula into a grueling three-set showdown in the semifinal.

Pegula booked the spot in the final with a 7-6 (3) 5-7, 6-3  win against Eala, the history maker from the Philippines, who pushed her to the limits.

“I’m so tired. So, so tired,” said an exhausted Pegula shortly after the match that spilled past midnight in Miami.
“She [Eala] is really good. Goes for her shots, takes the ball early. Being a lefty is always tricky, competes really well. She’s beaten a lot of top players this week.”

LIVE: Alex Eala vs Jessica Pegula – 2025 Miami Open semifinal

Despite the loss, Eala was all smiles as she pumped her fists and waved to the gallery filled with Filipino fans.

Live updates: 2025 Miami Open semifinal – Alex Eala vs Jessica Pegula

• Alex Eala misses the mark and Jessica Pegula takes match, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3.
• Alex Eala forces a deuce! But Jessica Pegula answers for the advantage.
• Alex Eala one point away from losing to Jessica Pegula and she’s asking for the crowd to cheer.
• Jessica Pegula scores back to back and takes a 5-3 advantage in Set 3.
• Jessica Pegula once again takes the lead, 4-3, in Set 3 after holding serve and dominating that game.
• Game Alex Eala. Set 3 tied again at 3-3.
• What. a. match. Neither side giving an inch. But Jessica Pegula takes a 3-2 lead in Set 3.
• Alex Eala holds serve and scores again! Grueling third set is tied at 2-2.
• Jessica Pegula back in the lead in Set 3, 2-1, after two straight unforced errors from Alex Eala.
• Alex Eala fights back and takes the second game in set 3! Tied 1-1.
• Start of the third set. Jessica Pegula takes the opening game.

WE ARE GOING THREE 🗣️

Alexa Eala takes the second set, 7-5! 🎥: WTA#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/EniC6t3Xqu

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 28, 2025

• END OF SET 2: Alex Eala forces a decider after rallying to beat Jessica Pegula, 7-5, in the second set.
• And Alex Eala is back in the lead in Set 2, 6-5. She is serving for the set.
• It’s midnight in Miami but Alex Eala is still very much alive! She ties the game again at 30-30.
• Alex Eala stays alive! Set 2 is tied at 5-5!
• Alex Eala trying to keep her bid alive here as she serves. Pegula takes a 30-0 lead but Eala bounces back, 30-30.
• Jessica Pegula with an ace as she holds serve and pulls ahead, 5-4, in Set 2 vs Alex Eala. She is a game away from securing the spot in the Miami Open final.
• Jessica Pegula bites back and ties Alex Eala at 4-4 in Set 2. Another tight battle here for the two semifinalists.
• Alex Eala on fire against the World No. 4! She takes a 4-3 lead here in Set 2 with a comeback game!
• Alex Eala ties set 2 with back to back games! Set 2 tied at 3-3.
• But Alex Eala breaks Jessica Pegula! She pulls within 3-2 in Set 2.  Eala lets it out after winning that game!
• Jessica Pegula breaks Alex Eala’s serve and pushes her lead to 3-1 in Set 2.
• Alex Eala getting her left ankle iced and heavily taped here during a medical timeout. She tweaked her ankle early in Set 2, but managed to play on.
• Another game for Jessica Pegula. She leads Alex Eala in Set 2, 2-1.
• Alex Eala holds serve and scores a game in set 2, 1-1.
• Jessica Pegula takes the first game in Set 2, but Alex Eala gets second wind here as she serves for the set.
• Set 2 underway. Alex Eala appears to have twisted her ankle as she falls to the court, but she shrugs it off and stands up.
• That first set loss here in the semifinal is Alex Eala’s first time to drop a set so far here in the Miami Open.
• END OF SET 1: Jessica Pegula takes the opener in the-tie break, 7-6 (3), to go up 1-0 vs Alex Eala.
• Alex Eala commits and error and Pegula now leads 5-3 in the tiebreak.
• Alex Eala takes a 3-2 lead in the tiebreak but Pegula quickly answers and ties again at 3-3.
• Jessica Pegula ties the game at 6-6 and forces a tie break in Set 1!
• Alex Eala holds her serve and bounces back to go up 6-5. Another game away from winning the first set.
• Jessica Pegula starting to get her rhythm here as she holds and ties set 1 at 5-5. She earlier was trailing Alex Eala, 5-2.
• Back to back double faults for Eala allows Pegula to break serve and take another game. Alex’s lead down to 5-4 in set 1.
• Pegula retaliates and cuts into Alex Eala’s lead, 5-3. Eala’s turn to serve for the set.
• Alex Eala holds her serve and wins her third straight game for a 5-2 lead! She is one game away from taking the first set.
• Alex Eala breaks Pegula’s serve again with an aggressive showing here in this game! The Filipino ace takes a 4-2 lead in Set 1.
• Some unforced errors here for Alex Eala but she recovers and takes the lead again vs Pegula in Set 1, 3-2.
• Pegula and Eala now tied at 2-2 in the opening set as Jessica holds serve. Alex now to serve. Cheers from Filipino fans can be heard.
• Jessica Pegula strikes back and wins the third game. Eala still leads the first set, 2-1.

turning up the heat 🔥#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/StBAsvIekW

— wta (@WTA) March 28, 2025

• Alex Eala breaks and takes a 2-0 lead in the first set!
• Strong start for Alex Eala vs Pegula, winning the first game of the first set.

• Alex Eala wins the coin toss and she chooses to serve first vs Jessica Pegula.
• Match between Alex Eala and Jessica Pegula about to begin. First night session in Miami for Alex, who hasn’t dropped a set in this tournament. She faces another tough opponent in Pegula, a finalist in the 2024 US Open.

• Latest tentative start time for Alex Eala match is at 10:10 am (PH time) as the the Fritz-Berrettini ATP quarterfinals clash wraps up. Fritz beats Berrettini anew to reach the men’s Final Four in Miami.
• Start time for Alex Eala’s semifinal match vs Jessica Pegula in Miami has been pushed back. Men’s QF clash between Taylor Fritz and Matteo Berrettini still ongoing.

She’s really slamming them long, absorbing a lot of her opponents’ powers. If she plays without worrying about going long past baseline, her returns will be elite and dangerous.

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 28, 2025

Plus, using spin negates her lack of power on serve. Alex is no elite server. But wide slice to left side can still drag Pegula wide and set up forehand.

Also, on serve. Target backhand hip, yes? Just to make sure Pegula doesn’t step into those first serves. (via @ftjochoaINQ)

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 28, 2025

Even if Pegula handles the backhand well, Eala’s lefty topspin crosscourt forehand can pull her very wide into the left corner. That opens up the forehand side for Eala to go for drop shot. And Alex has had success with her drops during her current Miami run. (via @ftjochoaINQ)

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 28, 2025

Tiny nitpick that might not matter: Eala will lack that ‘left-hander’s surprise’ against Pegula, whose backhand is dreamy. Now, I am no tennis coach or expert but Alex can still use her left hand as a weapon. Pegula’s backhand is steady, not aggressive. (via @ftjochoaINQ)

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 28, 2025

Interesting to note about today’s semifinal between Alex Eala and Jessica Pegula: Alex has already won 25 break points in the tournament. Her returns in this tournament have been clean and crisp. #MiamiOpen (via @ftjochoaINQ)

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 28, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka dominates Paolini to book Miami Open final

World number one Aryna Sabalenka blasted her way into the final of the Miami Open with a convincing 6-2 6-2 demolition of Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.

Sabalenka needed just 71 minutes to wrap-up her win against the sixth seed and she will now face the winner of Thursday’s other semi-final between American Jessica Pegula and wildcard Alex Eala.

Last stop, here she comes 👊@SabalenkaA | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/I7HwE5FHea

— wta (@WTA) March 27, 2025

The race to the Miami Open final begins — who will rise to the occasion? 🏆💪#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/hYWmb3R60F

— wta (@WTA) March 27, 2025

Where to watch on TV: Miami Open semifinal – Alex Eala vs Jessica Pegula

Inquirer Sports will be providing up-to-date news on the Alex Eala through its website, and social accounts on X (Formerly Twitter) and Facebook.

In the Philippines, it will be shown on A2Z Channel, Kapamilya Channel, and ABS-CBN News Channel and Premier Sports 2 channel 273 on Cignal.

The match will also air on BlastTV app.

Alex Eala poised to break into top 100 of WTA rankings

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala is expected to enter the Top 100 of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) World Rankings as she continues to turn heads in the 2025 Miami Open.

Eala, currently World No.140, took down three Grand Slam champions to barge into the semifinal of the Miami Open.

And the latest giant she slayed was World No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek with the 19-year-old Filipino pulling off a massive 6-2, 7-5 upset to advance to the Final Four on Thursday (Manila time).

Jessica Pegula sets up clash vs Alex Eala in Miami Open semifinals

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Jessica Pegula stopped the string of upsets at the Miami Open by ending the stalwart run of Britain’s unseeded Emma Raducanu on Wednesday night.

The fourth-seeded Pegula won 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 in a two hour, 25 minute battle, to move into her third Miami Open women’s semifinal in four years. Pegula, the last American in the field, faces the teenage wild card from the Philippines, Alex Eala, on Thursday.

Pegula’s match ended at 11:23 p.m. and forced the postponement of the men’s quarterfinal between Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda until Thursday.

Alex Eala takes care of business at Miami Open with little drama

If tennis broadcasters were hoping for emotional scenes of tears from teenager Alex Eala after she secured one of the biggest upsets of the WTA season they were left disappointed.

But the final point, as she broke the serve of world number two Iga Swiatek, for the eighth time, revealed much more about the Filipina than any waterworks would have.

Alex Eala continues to make history as wildcard at Miami Open

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala’s dream run in the 2025 Miami Open continues, slaying one champion after another.

And in the biggest match of her young career, Eala was unfazed against World No.2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek to pull off another big win, 6-2, 7-5, and advance to the semifinal on Thursday (Manila time).

According to the Women’s Tennis Association,  Eala has tied the best result achieved by a wild card in the Miami Open since the tournament’s inception in 1985.

View comments

TAGS: Alex Eala, Miami Open

For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.