Alexandra Eala is hoping to build on her surprise run to the Miami Open semi-finals after losing a hard-fought match with world number four Jessica Pegula.

The 19-year-old Filipino has enjoyed a brilliant fortnight, beating grand slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek en route to becoming the lowest-ranked semi-finalist in the tournament’s history.

She could not topple Pegula, though did run the American close in a 7-6 (7-3) 5-7 6-3 defeat.

And now, Eala is looking at the countless positives from her breakthrough performance on the WTA Tour.

"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 [it] because there is so much positivity around me and I don't know how many times that happens.

"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."

3 - Since the format’s introduction in 2009, only two players have reached more WTA-1000 finals than Jessica Pegula (three) after their 30th birthday – Serena Williams (16) and Li Na (four). Blossom. #MiamiOpen | @MiamiOpen @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/KGl1E3MpOE

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) March 28, 2025

Eala played the match with a strapped thigh from the outset and then turned her ankle mid-way through the second set but said she had not been affected by the injury.

"I literally gave everything I had, I'm half tape, I'm like a mummy," she quipped. "I did everything and I have no regrets."

Pegula was full of praise for her young opponent, saying: "She's really good. She's a really good tennis player, goes for her shots, takes the ball early, competes really well, she's beaten a lot of top players this week – I don't think she needs me to tell her that she's a great player, that we're not going to see enough of her, we definitely are, and she proved that."

World number one Aryna Sabalenka awaits Pegula in the final.