Madison Keys Shockingly Exits Miami Open to Alexandra Eala

Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion, was defeated by Filipina wildcard Alexandra Eala at the Miami Open. Eala’s victory is historic as she is the first Filipina to beat a top-10 player since 1975. Other notable matches included Swiatek, Svitolina, and Djokovic’s record-setting performance. The tournament is heating up as players vie for advancement in the rounds.

At the Miami Open, fifth-seeded American Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, unexpectedly lost to 19-year-old Filipina wildcard Alexandra Eala, with a score of 6-4, 6-2. This victory marked a historic moment as Eala became the first woman from the Philippines to defeat a top-10 player since the rankings were established in 1975. After her win, Eala enthusiastically celebrated with her team and will proceed to face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals.

In her on-court remarks, Eala expressed her hope that her success would elevate Filipino tennis, saying, “Growing up it was tough. You didn’t have anyone from where you’re from to pave the way. Of course you had many people to look up to around the world, but I think — I hope this takes Filipino tennis to the next step.”

Meanwhile, Madison Keys acknowledged her lackluster performance, citing an ineffective serve and feeling flat during the match. Keys stated, “My serve was not really there today and I just kind of felt a little flat — and when you are playing someone who makes a ton of balls back and absorbs really well, that’s not really the keys to success.”

In other matches, Iga Swiatek triumphed over Elise Mertens 7-6 (7/2), 6-1, marking her entry into the last 16 at a WTA 1000 tournament for a remarkable 25th consecutive time. Swiatek had shown resilience, recovering from a 5-2 disadvantage in the first set to dominate the subsequent play.

Elina Svitolina achieved a victory against Karolina Muchova, overcoming the 15th seed with a scoreline of 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic set a new record for the most ATP Masters 1000 match wins, surpassing Rafael Nadal with his 411th win after defeating Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-1, 7-6 (7/1).

Notables in the men’s draw included Sebastian Korda’s success against Stefanos Tsitsipas, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. Korda expressed his excitement, stating, “It’s awesome. I was born in Florida. My whole family is here. It’s just a lot of fun to play here and get my first Top 10 win of the year.”

Grigor Dimitrov clinched a hard-fought victory over Karen Khachanov, with a score of 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 7-5, thereby becoming the fourth active player to achieve 100 Masters 1000 hard-court wins. Dimitrov reflected on the match, noting, “It’s beautiful I think every time you hit such a milestone. We know each other very well, we practice with each other a lot, so there weren’t really secrets. At the end of the day, it came down to a few points.”

The Miami Open has witnessed extraordinary upsets and remarkable performances, highlighting Alex Eala’s historic win over Madison Keys and Novak Djokovic’s record-setting achievement. Key players like Iga Swiatek, Elina Svitolina, and Sebastian Korda delivered impressive matches, showcasing their resilience and skill. As the tournament progresses, the competition intensifies, setting the stage for exciting upcoming matches.

Original Source: www.mykxlg.com