Alex Eala upsets Katie Volynets at Miami Open

Alex Eala from the Philippines achieved a notable upset in her first main draw match at the 2024 Miami Open. She beat Katie Volynets, ranked 73rd in the world, with a score of 6-3, 7-6(3) on Thursday. Eala started the match slowly, falling behind 1-3 in the first set. However, she quickly turned things around, winning five games in a row to take the first set. In the second set, she built a lead of 3-1 and later led 5-3. Volynets fought back to tie the set at 5-5, pushing the game into a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Eala regained her focus and took control, eventually winning the match to advance to the next round. The 19-year-old Eala will face a tougher challenge next, going up against World No. 5 Jelena Ostapenko, who is a former French Open champion. This marks Eala's first appearance in the main draw of the Miami Open after she was eliminated in the qualifiers last year.