Overview
- Eala stunned top-10 and 2024 Dubai champion Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 7-6(5), then defeated Sorana Cîrstea 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the last eight.
- The victories project her to a live career high near world No. 38, according to Tennis365’s rankings tracker.
- The Paolini result marked Eala’s third career win over a top-10 opponent, following 2025 Miami victories against Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys.
- OptaAce reports she is the youngest Asian player to notch multiple top-10 wins at Tier I/WTA 1000 events, surpassing Naomi Osaka’s age milestone.
- Despite the surge, coverage notes she still faces ranking pressure with 390 points to defend from last year’s Miami Open.