Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek avenged her Miami Open loss to teenage standout Alexandra Eala with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory at the Madrid Open on Thursday. The world No. 2 overcame an early setback at Caja Magica to keep her title defense alive in the WTA 1000 event.
Swiatek acknowledged the challenges posed by the 18-year-old Filipino phenom: "On clay I feel like I have a little bit more advantage… but you got to be focused on yourself." Eala, who stunned Swiatek in their previous Miami quarterfinal clash, initially dominated with aggressive baseline play before the three-time Grand Slam champion recalibrated her strategy.
The victory marks Swiatek's progress toward her first final of 2024, having reached three semifinals this season including at the Australian Open. Her Madrid campaign continues under the radar of Asian sports enthusiasts tracking Eala's rapid ascent – the Southeast Asian champion being among the region's most promising tennis exports.
