MIAMI GARDENS, United States: Philippines sensation Alexandra Eala’s remarkable run at the Miami Open came to a brave end with a three-set loss to Jessica Pegula in the semifinals on Thursday.
In an enthralling battle over 2hrs 24mins, fourth-seeded American Pegula emerged with a 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 6-3 win to seal a place in Saturday’s final against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka blasted her way into the final with a 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
The 19-year-old Eala, ranked 140th in the world, had only two WTA main draw victories to her name before arriving in Miami.
She proceeded to beat three Grand Slam winners in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and world number two Iga Swiatek.
The lowest-ranked semifinalist in the tournament’s history, Eala seriously threatened to go one step further with another accomplished and effervescent display.
The tide looked to have turned against her when Pegula broke to go 3-1 up in the second set, but Eala broke back and her fist pump and look of determination was a sign of things to come.
Eala broke Pegula three times in the set and was broken twice herself but crucially was able to hold when serving for the set at 6-5.
Both players protected their serve better in the deciding set but Eala’s forehand let her down when the American broke to go 5-3 up and she served out for a victory that brought her visible relief.
“Of course there is disappointment right after the match,” said Eala.
“But there are just so many times in tennis where you have to dig through the dirt to look for the positive and I’m just enjoying because there is so much positive around me and I don’t know how many times that happens,” she added.
Playing with a strapped thigh from the outset, Eala turned her ankle mid-way through the second set but said she had not been impacted by the injury.
“I literally gave everything I had, I’m half tape, I’m like a mummy. I did everything and I have no regrets,” she said.
“To have a week like this, the stars need to align and they did this week, and hopefully I can keep that up — that is my goal now, to keep this up,” she added.
Pegula said it had been difficult to play an opponent like Eala.
“I let her back in the match at 3-1 up (second set) and she just started ripping her balls, going for her shots and you just have to weather the storm with people like that. She competes really well,” said the American.
Sabalenka needed just 71 minutes to wrap up her win against the sixth seed Paolini.
The Belarusian, beaten in the Indian Wells final earlier this month by Mirra Andreeva, will appear in the Miami final for the first time in her career.
“I’m super happy with the level I played today. Of course super happy to be in my first Miami Open final,” said Sabalenka.
Sabalenka was never behind against Paolini. She served six aces and broke the Italian’s serve four times.
“I definitely would say that this was one of the best matches in the season so far. I don’t know. I was just so focused on myself, on the things I had to do today,” she said.
“It felt like everything was just going smoothly my way.”
Sabalenka will be keen to banish the memory of defeat in the Indian Wells final and in the Australian Open final, where she lost to Keys.
“The lessons (of those defeats) was I believe focus on myself, not on what’s going on the other side,” she said.
“I think in those finals I was more focusing on my opponents than on myself. I think I just have to bring the same attitude, the same mindset that I had today, I think I have to bring it in the finals,” she said.
“I really feel this time I’m going to do better than I did in the last two finals,” added the 26-year-old.
She is only the sixth woman to reach the finals of both stops on the American ‘Sunshine Swing’ in the same season.

PARIS: Ukraine’s boxing icon Oleksandr Usyk told AFP he will stay in the sport “a little longer” so he can provide “financial support to our army and civilians” and achieve his sporting goal of once again being undisputed heavyweight world champion.
The 38-year-old, who holds all the belts except the IBF version which belongs to Daniel Dubois, has been galvanized by the war ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022, wreaking death and destruction on his compatriots and his homeland.
His exploits — two memorable victories over British opponent Tyson Fury plus others over Anthony Joshua and Dubois — have helped keep his beleaguered country very much in people’s minds.
In a wide-ranging interview, Usyk said his father, who fought in the Soviet Army, was the seminal influence on his career.
He says he has been inspired by “both the heroes of the past and the modern Ukrainian heroes who are now defending our homeland in the armed forces.”
“Representing Ukraine on the global sports stage, spreading the truth about the war, and providing financial support to our army and civilians — this is also a powerful motivation for me to stay in professional boxing a little longer,” he said.
“I feel great, I’m ready for any opponent and would love to take another shot at becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion again.”
Usyk says Fury is the toughest opponent he has faced “for the moment” and added that he expects the unpredictable Briton to return to boxing, although perhaps “in a different role.”
Usyk can thank his late father, also called Oleksandr, for his extraordinary resilience in brutal bouts with Fury and twice with Joshua. He remains unbeaten as a professional with 23 victories, including 14 stoppages.
Usyk senior was wounded twice fighting for the Soviet Army during their 10-year occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.
“My father was a tough man, indeed,” said Usyk.
“He taught me iron discipline, but he also taught me to believe in myself.
“He was the first to tell me that I would become a champion — when no-one else believed it, and everyone looked at him as if he were crazy.”

His father — who Usyk recalled would have nightmares and call out the names of comrades who had died in Afghanistan — lived just long enough to see his son be crowned Olympic heavyweight champion in London in 2012.
“I inherited my fighting spirit from him, though I would never compare myself to the true warriors who are now defending Ukraine on the front lines,” he said.
“They are the real fighters, the real heroes.”
The admiration works both ways as some of those wounded in the conflict — including soldiers who had lost limbs — traveled to watch his rematch with Joshua in September 2022.
Usyk has in the past cried when talking about his father and placing the Olympic gold medal in his lifeless hand — he died just prior to his triumphant return from London.
However, after beating Fury on points in last December’s rematch in Riyadh, he dedicated his victory to his mother and “all Ukrainian mothers.”
“In Ukraine, there is probably no one who hasn’t lost someone because of the war,” he said.
“As a father, I wholeheartedly understand the pain of mothers who lose their children.
“This should not be happening in the modern world.
“That is why we must do everything possible not only to end the war but also to ensure that it never happens again.”
Usyk held up a sabre which belonged to 17th century Ukrainian leader Ivan Mazepa after his most recent win, against Fury in Riyadh in December.
“It is crucial to show that Ukraine is not Russia,” he explained. “That it is a nation with a 300-year history of resisting the Russian Empire, no matter what name it has taken in different historical periods.”
Usyk was dissuaded from taking up arms at the outset of the war, but he has been generous in dispensing his fortune.
He contributed the majority of the funds to rebuild the house of Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi, a good friend and former teammate who was shot dead by Russian forces in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv.
“Over the past three years, my foundation has raised millions of euros from various donors to support the military, reconstruction efforts, and humanitarian projects,” he said.
Usyk said an overall assessment of his career cannot be made until he hangs up his gloves.
“I believe it’s too soon to sum up my overall achievements,” he said.