Eala Stuns Swiatek as Wimbledon’s Top Seeds Crumble on Day Six
LONDON — In one of the most seismic days in recent Wimbledon history, the women’s singles draw was blown wide open on Saturday as both the No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina and No. 3 seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek were eliminated in the third round. The headline story was 21-year-old Filipina star Alexandra Eala’s straight-sets victory over Swiatek on Centre Court, marking the first time a Filipino player has reached the second week of a Grand Slam. Belgium’s Elise Mertens also delivered a masterclass, defeating 2022 champion Rybakina on No. 1 Court.
Eala’s Historic Triumph
Eala, the No. 29 seed, defeated Swiatek 7-6(9), 6-2 in a gripping contest that lasted two hours and 15 minutes. The 21-year-old saved two set points in a riveting first-set tiebreak before racing away in the second set, hitting 24 winners to 21 unforced errors while converting five of seven break points, according to the WTA.
“For someone who grew up in the Philippines and went to train with my brother and grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and light up shoes and chubby cheeks, to [me] this is everything,” Eala said during her on-court interview, as reported by The Guardian.
The victory is Eala’s seventh career Top 10 win and improves her head-to-head record against Swiatek to 2-1, having previously defeated the Pole at the Miami Open in 2025. It also marks her first signature win at a Grand Slam — before this Wimbledon, she owned a 1-5 record in major main draws.
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion who won the French Open earlier this year, struggled with uncharacteristic errors throughout the match, finishing with 44 unforced errors against 32 winners.
Mertens Dismantles Rybakina
Earlier on No. 1 Court, Elise Mertens produced one of the biggest wins of her career by defeating Elena Rybakina 7-6(4), 6-1. It was only Mertens’ second victory over Rybakina in nine career meetings, as reported by The Athletic.
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and 2026 Australian Open winner, hit just 42% of her first serves — well below her usual standard. The Kazakh needed to reach at least the quarterfinals to have a chance at overtaking Aryna Sabalenka for the World No. 1 ranking. Instead, Sabalenka will continue her reign.
“I was more steady, more ready for the bigger shots from her. I think I moved well today,” Mertens said. “Neutralized the ball a little bit better than at the beginning of the year.”
Rybakina admitted she has been unable to identify the source of her recent struggles. “If I knew why, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now,” she said.
Draw Wide Open
The results have transformed the bottom half of the women’s draw. Eala will face No. 13 seed Jasmine Paolini — the 2024 Wimbledon finalist — in the Round of 16, while Mertens will take on No. 21 seed Marie Bouzková. Eala leads her head-to-head with Paolini 1-0, having won their only previous meeting in Dubai earlier this year.
“Because I am emotional does not mean I am satisfied,” Eala said, looking ahead. “Next round, let’s go. Being here is such a blessing. I’m taking it. If I have the opportunity, I am taking it.”
A Historic Moment for Philippine Tennis
Eala’s achievement is unprecedented for Philippine tennis. She is the first Filipino — male or female — to reach the second week of a Grand Slam singles event. Trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Eala has demonstrated remarkable improvement on grass, winning the WTA 125 Birmingham Open in June and reaching the Eastbourne final during the 2026 grass-court swing.
With the defending champion and the No. 2 seed both eliminated, the path to the Wimbledon final has opened dramatically. For Eala, for Mertens, and for the rest of the women’s draw, opportunity now beckons.
Additional reporting by GMA News.