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Reigning champion Iga Swiatek was dumped out of Wimbledon in the third round on Saturday as an inspired Alexandra Eala created more history for the Philippines with a straight-sets victory on Centre Court.

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Eala edged a dramatic 84-minute first set before powering to a 7-6 (11/9), 6-2 victory over a stunned Swiatek on Centre Court to reach the last 16.

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“It’s difficult to describe. I’m in the second week of a Slam and it’s incredible for me,” said Eala.

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It is six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek’s earliest exit from a major tournament since another third-round defeat, by Yulia Putintseva, also at Wimbledon two years ago.

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The 21-year-old Eala became the first player from the Philippines to reach the third round of a Grand Slam event in the Open era by defeating Maya Joint on Thursday.

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But the 29th seed was not overawed by taking on six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, notching her second win in three meetings with the Polish third seed.

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“I’m really emotional and maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many Slams, or someone like Serena or Venus (Williams), this achievement might seem small,” Eala added.

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“But for someone who grew up in the Philippines… I trained with my mother and my grandfather every day after school with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks… so for her this is everything.”

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The left-hander, who had only won one match at a Slam before this week, will next face former runner-up Jasmine Paolini on Monday.

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Eala will be bidding to become the first player from the Philippines to reach a singles Grand Slam quarter-final since Felicisimo Ampon at the 1953 French Open.

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She had enjoyed raucous support from her Filipino fans on the outside courts at the All England Club in the first two rounds, but again impressed in a far less partisan atmosphere on Centre Court against Swiatek.

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The 25-year-old Swiatek failed to bounce back from a disappointing last-16 defeat at the French Open, where she is a four-time winner.

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She made 44 unforced errors as she struggled to regroup after missing two set points in a first-set tie-break.

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– Marathon first set –

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Eala stretched into a 5-3 lead but failed to serve out the opener, seeing one set point come and go.

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Both players saw multiple chances slip from their grasp in a high-quality breaker, before Eala finally forged in front on her fourth set point when Swiatek sent a backhand sailing long.

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The world number 32 took full control of the tie by racing into a 4-0 lead against her shell-shocked opponent in the second set.

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Swiatek scrapped hard to get one of the breaks back, but then slipped 5-2 behind after serving two double-faults in another sloppy service game.

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Eala got over the line in a dramatic final game, saving four break points before clinching the biggest victory of her career on her third match point.

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She fell to the turf in celebration after finishing the contest with a forehand winner, sobbing tears of joy as Swiatek made a hasty departure.

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Rybakina crashes out

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Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina suffered a shock third-round exit in a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 defeat against Elise Mertens on Saturday.

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Rybakina was hoping to follow her Australian Open triumph in January by winning Wimbledon for the second time.

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But the world number two was unable to emulate her 2022 victory at the All England Club as Belgian 25th seed Mertens produced a major upset on Court One.

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Rybakina, 27, also endured a disappointing early departure from the recent French Open, losing to Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round.

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The Russia-born Kazakhstani, who beat Ons Jabeur to win Wimbledon four years ago, has failed to make it past the third round on her last two visits to south-west London.

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But Rybakina has no intention of letting the defeat ruin the rest of the season.

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“I just try to move on. I mean, I lost so many times. I’m sure I’m still going to keep losing. It’s impossible to win everything,” she said.

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“Not the result I wanted today. Definitely not happy. I’m of course upset, but it’s not going to take more than one, two days.”

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Rybakina plans to analyse her form closely before the hard-court swing, which culminates in the US Open.

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“If I knew why, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. As soon as it happened a couple weeks ago when I was not playing my best, honestly, I don’t know,” she said.

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“I was getting a lot of opportunities since I was losing early in the tournaments. Definitely I need to analyse and change something, because it’s not working.

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“Now it’s going to be at least for a longer period of time same surface, and it’s kind of one of the last pushes of the year.

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“First, I’m looking forward to change a little bit the scenario and just rest.”

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Mertens is a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion and has now reached the last 16 in the All England Club singles on four occasions.

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She will play Czech 21st seed Marie Bouzkova for a place in the quarter-finals.

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The 30-year-old’s best run in a Grand Slam singles tournament is a 2018 Australian Open semi-final appearance.

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“Definitely one of my most memorable wins, especially against her here at Wimbledon,” Mertens said.

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“Looking back on my previous results on grass this year, it was a little bit of a mixed feelings.

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“I really grew into the match. Also especially my last match, also grew into that match. That gave me a little bit of confidence.

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I soaked it all in today on Court One. It’s a beautiful court to play at.”

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AFP

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