Alex Eala handed Miami Open 2023 wild card

Filipino tennis star Alex Eala. –RAFA NADAL TWITTER

MANILA, Philippines— Alex Eala will see action in the Miami Open 2023 as a wild card entry.

The Rafael Nadal Academy on Tuesday announced that their Filipino scholar was among the seven wild card entries in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

The 17-year-old Eala will see action in the qualifying matches starting on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will also play in the Miami Open from March 19 to April 2.

Eala recently competed in the W60 Trnava in Slovakia last week, where she reached the semifinals in the doubles with her partner Justina Mikulskyte but she was eliminated in the second round of the singles tournament.

Miami… Here we go! 🇺🇸💪🏼

RNA Players Alexandra Eala 🇵🇭 (WTA Main Draw) and Abdullah Shelbayh 🇯🇴(ATP Qualifying) have received Wild Cards to play the @MiamiOpen‼️ Good luck! VAMOS‼️ pic.twitter.com/98XgkiszAg

— Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar (@rnadalacademy) March 14, 2023

The first Filipino to win a Grand Slam singles title in last year’s US Open girls tournament is currently WTA World No. 220.

Eala made her first Grand Slam appearance as a pro in the 2023 Australian Open qualifying round, suffering an early exit at the hands of Japan’s Misaki Doi last month.

She also reached the main draw of the WTA 250 event in Hua Hin last February but she lost to sixth seed Tatjana Maria of Germany, 2-6, 2-6.