How phenom Alex Eala can continue to win at WimbledonSimon CambersMultiple AuthorsJul 5, 2026, 02:18 PM ET
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Alexandra Eala’s stunning win over defending champion Iga Swiatek in the third round at Wimbledon on Saturday advanced her into the fourth round of a slam for the first time.
The 21-year-old is the first player from the Philippines to get to this stage of any of the four majors, and having beaten Swiatek, there is no reason why she can’t extend her run.
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On Monday, she will play former Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini. Here’s what Eala did so well against Swiatek — and how she can use it to defeat Paolini.
Right from the start, Eala took the attack to Swiatek, preying on the vulnerability that has crept into Swiatek’s game in the past year or so. Standing well inside the baseline to return the second serve, she piled the pressure on Swiatek, rushing her into mistakes, especially on her forehand.
Eala won 68% of points on the defending champion’s second serve and a very healthy 43% on Swiatek’s first serve. There was no respite. She hit six return winners, and 11 of her returns immediately forced an error, especially on the Swiatek forehand.
Alexandra Eala has advanced to the fourth round of a major for the first time of her career. Susan Mullane-Imagn ImagesEala’s ruthlessness was hugely impressiveEala played her best tennis on the biggest points, always the sign of a top player, someone who relishes the situation and enjoys the pressure. She took five of her seven break points, and she was equally resilient when facing break points, saving eight of 11.The vast majority of points in the match were over within four shots, and under that scenario, Eala dominated, winning 74 points to Swiatek’s 54. She also controlled the rallies, as demonstrated by the fact that Swiatek, usually a player who dominates her opponents, covered more than 100 meters farther than Eala over the two sets.Eala has the game to beat PaoliniPaolini has shown a welcome return to form at Wimbledon after a tough year, during which she has been affected by inconsistency and niggling injuries. Paolini reached the final here two years ago, but Eala has the game to hurt her. Eala’s lefty forehand stroke helps, especially on grass, where she can swing the ball wide to Paolini’s two-handed backhand. Eala also hits the ball relatively flat, which will take time away from Paolini.They have played each other once, with Eala winning in Dubai earlier this year. If anything, grass suits Eala’s game even better, as she showed in Berlin, where she beat Elena Rybakina, Donna Vekic and Elina Svitolina.
Considering that she had lost in the first round in four of her five slams coming into Wimbledon, Eala might have been expected to be nervous on Centre Court. Instead, she looked like she was loving it, playing with real joy on her face. Swiatek, by contrast, was the one who looked stressed.
Charismatic and full of energy, Eala is already a superstar in her own country, and the knowledge that she’s playing with a whole nation behind her must be giving her huge energy.
“It is amazing for me,” she stated. “I am really emotional and maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many slams or for Serena or Venus [Williams] this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines, I went to train with my brother and grandfather every day after school … this is everything.”
All her matches attract hordes of fans from the Philippines, and they’re vocal. Though her match with Paolini is likely to be on a show court, making it more difficult for her fans to grab tickets last-minute, Paolini knows it’s going to be a big challenge.
“She has a huge crowd with her,” Paolini stated. “Now on the bridge they were screaming, ‘Alex, Alex.’ It’s so good for our sport, I think, to involve more people around the world.
“I think she’s a star of our sport, you know? It’s going to be a tough battle. The crowd, it’s going to be there every point.”
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