Alex Eala says she's "lucky" for Miami Open experience

Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala said she is "lucky" to be able to experience the events she had gone through in the Miami Open.

Eala's dream run in the WTA1000 event ended on Friday as she fell to Jessica Pegula in the semifinals, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3.

”Of course, I’m disappointed,’’ Eala said post-match, according to Miami Open's website.

“But there’s so many times in tennis where you have to dig out the dirt to look for the positive and now I’m enjoying it because there’s so much positive around me and I don’t know how many times that has happened so I’m just lucky to have been able to experience these two weeks."

Prior to the defeat, Eala was beating higher-ranked players, including Grand Slam champions en route to the semis.

Eala opened her campaign with a win against Katie Volynets before she took down former French Open Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and 5-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.

Despite the loss, Eala said she has given her all during the match.

“The match I played was amazing and she played amazing. I definitely had my chances and I definitely have things that I could’ve done better but I literally gave everything I had as you see I’m taped up like a mummy," she added.

Eala is expected to earn prize money worth USD 332,160 and 390 ranking points after her semis stint. She is also expected to enter the top 100 of the women's world rankings.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News