Defending champion Iga Swiatek was knocked out of the third round of Wimbledon on Saturday after World No. 32 Alexandra Eala secured a 7-6 (11-9), 6-2 victory on Centre Court. With that, she became the first Filipino player in the Open Era to reach the second week of a Grand Slam.
Notably, the third-round contest lasted two hours and 15 minutes and produced one of the biggest surprises of the Championships. Eala emerged on top after edging a tense opening-set tie-break before taking command of the match in the second set to book her place in the fourth round.
Swiatek arrived at the All England Club among the leading contenders after winning the women’s singles title last year, but she was unable to disrupt Eala’s confident display from the baseline. The Filipina consistently dictated play with aggressive groundstrokes and maintained control after securing the decisive first set.
Meanwhile, the result added another chapter to the growing rivalry between the two players. Eala defeated Swiatek during their first meeting at the Miami Open in 2025 before the Polish star levelled the rivalry with a win on clay in Madrid. Their first encounter on grass went Eala’s way, giving her a 2-1 advantage in the head-to-head series.
Eala reacts to win
After the high-voltage contest, Eala reacted to her sensational win. Calling it an amazing feeling, the 21-year-old also lauded Iga for the performance.ย โI don’t know how to describe it. I’m into the second week of a Grand Slam. It’s an amazing feeling. Iga is a phenomenal player and a wonderful person. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share Centre Court with her at Wimbledon,” Eala said.
“I’m very emotional right now. For someone like Iga, who has won so many Grand Slams, or legends like Serena and Venus, this achievement might seem small. But for someone who grew up in the Philippines, it means everything,” she added.
The victory extended a breakthrough week for Eala. She had already become the first player from the Philippines to reach the third round of a Grand Slam earlier in the tournament and has now gone a step further by advancing to the last 16, another first for Philippine tennis in the Open Era.
The win also marked Eala’s fifth victory over a top-10 opponent in the 2026 season, further highlighting her emergence among the WTA Tour’s rising talents. She will now face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round , who advanced after defeating Maria Sakkari in straight sets.
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