Teenage wildcard Eala shocks Swiatek in Miami, Pegula rounds out the semifinals

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The 2025 Miami Open has reached the semifinal stage, featuring three Top 10 players and one unexpected teenage sensation. Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini secured their spots first, advancing on Tuesday, while Jessica Pegula and wildcard Alexandra Eala completed the semifinal lineup a day later. Eala’s stunning upset of five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek was the biggest shock of the tournament, marking a career milestone for the 19-year-old from the Philippines.

With two blockbuster matchups now set—Sabalenka facing Paolini and Pegula taking on Eala—the stage is ready for an exciting finish in Miami.

Alexandra Eala
Alexandra Eala, the first Filipina WTA semifinalist

Eala’s stunning upset of Swiatek, Pegula rounds out the semifinals

On Wednesday, the Miami Open witnessed its biggest surprise when teenage wildcard Alexandra Eala stunned second seed Iga Swiatek 6-2 7-5. Swiatek, who had been dealing with heightened security concerns following an incident with an aggressive fan, struggled throughout the match. She dropped serve eight times and never found her usual rhythm, allowing the fearless Eala to claim the biggest victory of her young career.

With this result, Eala is set to break into the WTA Top 100 for the first time. Her semifinal opponent, fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula, secured her spot by defeating Emma Raducanu in a grueling three-set battle, 6-4 6-7(3) 6-2. Raducanu fought valiantly, even requiring medical treatment in the second set, but Pegula’s steady game proved too strong in the decider.

Sabalenka and Paolini secured early semifinal spots

Jasmine Paolini became the first player to reach the final four, defeating Poland’s Magda Linette 6-3 6-2 on Tuesday. The sixth seed made history as the first Italian woman to reach the Miami Open semifinals.

Later that evening, Aryna Sabalenka followed suit, battling past ninth-seeded Qinwen Zheng 6-2 7-5. The world No. 1 controlled the first set but faced a tougher challenge in the second before sealing the win. This marks Sabalenka’s first semifinal appearance in Miami.

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