Swiatek faces Eala at Miami Open after tough Svitolina win

Posted : 25 March 2025

Iga Swiatek secured a hard-fought straight-set victory over Elina Svitolina in the fourth round of the Miami Open, winning 7-6(5) 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals. This marks the Polish star’s second time reaching this stage in Miami, with her last appearance coming in 2022 when she went on to win the title. Up next for the world No. 2 is Alexandra Eala, who progressed after Paula Badosa withdrew from their match due to injury. Swiatek had to dig deep to overcome Svitolina in a competitive contest that lasted over two hours.

Swiatek’s path to victory was anything but straightforward, as Svitolina proved to be a resilient opponent. Despite breaking serve three times in the first set, Swiatek found herself immediately broken back each time, making for a tense battle. Errors from both players kept the match unpredictable, with neither able to dominate for extended stretches. Eventually, Swiatek edged out the set in a tie-break before stepping up her game in the second to seal the win.

A crucial moment in the match came when Svitolina called for a medical timeout in the second set to receive treatment for a foot issue. Despite this, she continued to push Swiatek, forcing the Polish player to adjust her strategy. Reflecting on the match, Swiatek admitted it was a challenge, saying, "It was much tougher to problem-solve, especially because Elina was also putting on some pressure." She credited her ability to find the right balance between aggression and patience for her eventual success.

Swiatek’s season has been a mix of deep runs and frustrating near-misses. Aside from her United Cup campaign with Team Poland in January, she has yet to reach a final this year. Her semi-final losses to Madison Keys in Australia and Jelena Ostapenko in Doha were followed by back-to-back defeats to Mirra Andreeva in Dubai and Indian Wells. Despite these setbacks, her performances in Miami suggest she is rediscovering her rhythm.

The Miami Open has seen Swiatek pick up three solid wins, all in straight sets, against top-tier opponents. She defeated Caroline Garcia and Elise Mertens before taking down Svitolina, showing signs of her best form. However, her next challenge comes against one of the tournament’s breakout stars—Alexandra Eala. The 19-year-old from the Philippines has stunned the tennis world with impressive victories over Ostapenko and Keys, earning praise from none other than Rafael Nadal, whose academy she trained at.

Eala’s rise has been remarkable, and she now faces Swiatek for the first time on the WTA Tour. While they have never competed against each other in an official match, they did practice together in Miami in 2021. Interestingly, both players won major titles in 2022—Swiatek lifting the US Open women’s singles trophy, while Eala claimed the junior title in the same tournament. This upcoming match is set to be a test of experience versus youthful momentum.

Whoever comes out on top will face either Emma Raducanu or Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals. With Swiatek’s determination to claim her first title of the year and Eala’s fearless approach to her breakthrough tournament, the quarter-final promises to be an exciting encounter.

Swiatek faces Eala at Miami Open after tough Svitolina win

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