FILIPINO tennis phenom Alex Eala earned a rare wild card to the 2021 Miami Open qualifiers set from March 22 to April 4 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The development was announced on Tuesday by the Rafael Nadal Academy where the 15-year-old Globe ambassador is a scholar.
The Miami Open draws most prominent names in tennis, including the top-ranked Ashleigh Barty and the No. 2 and recent Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka. Also slated to compete is world No. 3 Simona Halep.
Eala, who recently rose to No. 736 in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings, is excited to play in the high-level event.
“Looking forward to an awesome experience!” Eala said on her Facebook page.
This development is the latest feather in the youngster’s cap. She opened 2021 by winning her first professional tournament in the W15 Manacor in January.
Eala then followed that up with three straight quarterfinal finishes and is looking to bounce back after suffering a first-round exit at the hands of Swiss Simona Waltert in the W15 Manacor in Mallorca, Spain, last week.