At just 19 years old, Eala is already making waves in women’s tennis, with her breakout moment coming in 2022 when she claimed the Australian Open girls’ doubles title. She became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam junior doubles title, earning recognition as one of the most promising young talents on the tour.

The 2025 Miami Open, beginning March 18 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Florida, is one of the biggest events on the WTA calendar, drawing a 128-player field. Eala is among seven players granted wildcard entry, entering the draw as the third seed among the wildcard entries.

Eala has had an impressive start to the season, climbing to No. 140 in the WTA rankings, with a career-high No. 134 earlier this year. Known for her aggressive baseline game, she’s made a name for herself with consistent results. The Miami Open presents a key opportunity for her to test her skills against some of the best players in the world and continue her rise.

Meanwhile, on the ATP side, the Miami Open is unfolding during an unpredictable stretch for Novak Djokovic. The six-time champion is facing an uncharacteristic losing streak, having dropped three consecutive matches—a first for him since 2018. His latest defeat at Indian Wells came at the hands of world No. 85 Botic van de Zandschulp, following earlier losses to Alexander Zverev (Australian Open) and Matteo Berrettini (Qatar Open).

This slump is reminiscent of Djokovic’s struggles in 2018, when a similar losing streak followed his return from elbow surgery. However, he bounced back to dominate the season, winning Wimbledon, the US Open, and multiple Masters 1000 titles, finishing the year as world No. 1. Whether he can recover again this year remains to be seen.

For Eala, the Miami Open represents an exciting opportunity to gain more experience and further establish herself on the world stage. With her confidence rising and her ranking improving, she’s poised to make the most of this chance to challenge the sport’s elite.