Alexandra Eala of the Philippines celebrates winning the third round women's singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London on Saturday.Maja Smiejkowska/The Associated Press
Iga Swiatek’s title defense at Wimbledon ended Saturday in a 7-6 (9), 6-2 third-round loss to 21-year-old Alexandra Eala, who continues to make history for the Philippines.
Eala is the first Filipino player, male or female, to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament on a day of upsets in the women’s draw.
The left-handed Eala dropped to her knees and rolled onto her back on Centre Court after hitting a forehand winner on her third match point.
“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and knowing that we’re all in this together,” she said in an on-court interview as she looked around at the Philippines flags.
At Wimbledon, World Cup games are off and tennis is on
“This goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world,” said the 29th-seeded Eala, who saved two set points in the first-set tiebreaker.
The third-seeded Swiatek earned her first Wimbledon women’s title a year ago when she beat Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final.
Eala shakes hands with Poland's Iga Swiatek after the match. Swiatek earned her first Wimbledon women’s title a year ago.Toby Melville/Reuters
Eala, who has trained in Mallorca at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy, gained worldwide support last year on her breakthrough run to the Miami Open semifinals, which included an upset of Swiatek.
She next faces 13th-seeded Jasmine Paolini for a spot in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
2022 champion Rybakina also out
Shortly before Swiatek’s exit, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was upset in the third round by Elise Mertens 7-6 (4), 6-1.
At No. 2, Rybakina is the highest seed on the women’s side to be eliminated. Her loss ensures that Aryna Sabalenka — who faces Naomi Osaka in the fourth round on Sunday — will keep her No. 1 ranking after the tournament.
Belgium’s Mertens is the No. 25 seed at Wimbledon, where she’s won two doubles titles. She will next face 21st-seeded Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.