Eala continues to make history for PH after upsetting Swiatek in Wimbledon third round
Alex Eala continues to make history for the Philippines after ending Iga Swiatek’s title defense with a 7-6 (11/9), 6-2 victory at Wimbledon on Saturday, July 4.
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.
Watch the highlights of their match below.
“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 Philippine flags.
“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. To her, this is everything,” 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, 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.
