MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Teenager Alexandra Eala pulled off another upset at the Miami Open on Wednesday when she knocked off five-time Grand Slam champion and second-seeded Iga Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals.
The 19-year-old left-hander, who received a wild card into the WTA 1000 event, is the only player representing the Philippines on the women’s professional tour and entered the tournament ranked 140th.
During her history-making run, Eala reached her first WTA semifinals by beating her third major champion, this time in 1 hour, 37 minutes.
“I’m in complete disbelief right now, I’m on cloud nine,” Eala said in her on-court interview.
Along the way, she defeated 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, who is ranked No. 5. That was Eala’s first win over a top-10 player.
She hadn’t even beaten a top-40 player until Miami. After Swiatek hit long on match point, Eala seemed teary-eyed as she looked up.
“I really tried to soak it all in, because this has never happened to me before, and that’s why I was looking at the screen,’’ Eala said. “I really wanted to keep that moment in my mind.’’
In the fourth round, Eala won on a walkover over injured Paula Badosa, giving her added rest.
Though Eala represents the Philippines, she has lived the last six years in Mallorca, training at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy.
“I would love to think that I make a difference,’’ Eala said. “That’s the only thing I can do to give back to my country is to help inspire, to inspire change and positive change, to inspire people to pick up a racket, to watch more tennis, watch more women’s tennis.’’
Swiatek broke Eala in the first game, but the teenager broke right back. The first two games took 15 minutes to play and she never lost her poise.
"I don’t have a lot of experience on the WTA Tour, that’s for sure, but I do have experience with compartmentalizing,’’ Eala said. “ I have experience with being professional. I have no hesitation to bring that part of me out when I’m on court.’’
Swiatek held serve just twice in the match, with Eala pounding service returns with her big forehand. It marked Swiatek’s third loss to a player ranked outside the top 100 in a WTA main draw.
“Her being a lefty didn’t surprise me, but for sure, like, she went all in,’’ Swiatek said. “She made these returns in and pretty long, and so it wasn’t easy to hit it back. She was pretty loosened up and just went for it.’’
On set point, Swiatek rapped a forehand long, ending the set in 42 minutes.
Eala advances to Thursday’s semifinals, where she will face American Jessica Pegula, a 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 winner over Emma Raducanu of Britain.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, can't get to a ball hit by Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Police in Ohio's capital city said Wednesday that they have gathered enough evidence to link a man charged in the double homicide of his ex-wife and her husband in their Columbus home last month to the killings.
Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said in an Associated Press interview that authorities now believe Michael David McKee, 39, a vascular surgeon who was living in Chicago, was the person seen walking down a dark alley near Monique and Spencer Tepe's home in video footage from the night of the murders. His vehicle has also been identified traveling near the house, and a firearm found in his Illinois residence also traced to evidence at the scene, she said.
An attorney representing McKee could not be identified through court listings.
His arrest Saturday capped off nearly two weeks of speculation surrounding the mysterious killings that attracted national attention. No obvious signs of forced entry were found at the Tepes’ home. Police also said no weapon was found there, and murder-suicide was not suspected. Further, nothing was stolen, and the couple’s two young children and their dog were left unharmed in the home.
“What we can tell you is that we have evidence linking the vehicle that he was driving to the crime scene. We also have evidence of him coming and going in that particular vehicle,” Bryant told the AP. “What I can also share with you is that there were multiple firearms taken from the property of McKee, and one of those firearms did match preliminarily from a NIBIN (ballistic) hit back to this actual homicide.”
Bryant said that the department wants the public to keep the tips coming. Investigators were able to follow up on every phone call, email and private tip shared from the community to the department and some of that information allowed them to gather enough evidence to make an arrest, she said.
That work culminated in the apprehension of McKee in Rockford, Illinois, where the hospital where he worked — OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center — has said it is cooperating with the investigation. He has been charged with premeditated aggravated murder in the shooting deaths. Monique Tepe, who divorced McKee in 2017, was 39. Her husband, a dentist whose absence from work that morning prompted the first call to police, was 37.
McKee waived his right to an extradition hearing on Monday during an appearance in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Winnebago County, Illinois, where he remains in jail. Bryant said officials are working out details of his return to Ohio, with no exact arrival date set. His next hearing in Winnebago County is scheduled for Jan. 23.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said Wednesday that the city doesn't prioritize high-profile cases any more than others, noting that the city's closure rate on criminal cases exceeds the national average. The city also celebrated in 2025 its lowest level of homicides and violent crime since 2007, Ginther said.
“Every case matters. Ones that receive national attention, and those that don’t,” he told the AP. “Every family deserves closure and for folks to be held accountable, and the rest of the community deserves to be safe when dangerous people are taken off the street.”
Ginther said it is vital for central Ohioans to continue to grieve with the Tepes' family, which includes two young children, and loved ones, as they cope with “such an unimaginable loss.”
“I want our community to wrap our arms around this family and these children for years to come,” he said.
This undated booking photo provided by the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, shows Michael David McKee, who was charged in the killing of his ex-wife, Monique Tepe, and her husband Spencer Tepe at their Columbus, Ohio, home on Dec. 30, 2025. (Winnebago County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Spencer and Monique Tepe's home in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)
This image taken from video shows Michael David McKee walking into the courtroom on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Rockford, Ill. (WIFR News/Pool Photo via AP)
