Alex Eala is the breakout star of Wimbledon — here’s why
Iga Swiatek’s Wimbledon title defense is over, but with all due respect to the six-time Grand Slam singles champion, this isn’t about her.
Alex Eala defeated Swiatek, 7-6(9), 6-2, in their third-round match on Centre Court on Saturday, July 4. In doing so, the 21-year-old breakout star became the first tennis player from the Philippines to reach the fourth round of any Grand Slam, per Wimbledon.
As an aesthetically pleasing byproduct, Eala is now also the subject of the best sports photo of the year, as seen below:
Eala was overcome with emotion after securing the win, and she explained exactly where those tears came from during her on-court interview.
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Eala said, per ESPN. “I mean, I’m into the second week of a Slam, and it’s amazing for me. Iga is a phenomenal player and a really nice person, so I’m really grateful to be able to share Centre Court with her, at Wimbledon nonetheless.
“I’m really emotional. Maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many Slams, or maybe someone like Serena or Venus, this achievement may seem small, but for someone who grew up in the Philippines — I went to train with my brother and my grandfather every day after school, with my ruffled socks and my light-up shoes and chubby cheeks. For her, this is everything.”
This run of success at Wimbledon has been a long time coming. Eala was the No. 32-ranked singles player in the world entering Wimbledon, per WTA. She made her pro debut on the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour in March 2020 and made her WTA Tour debut at the 2021 Miami Open.
Eala’s Grand Slam debut in a main draw came at the Australian Open in January, followed by her main-draw debut at Roland-Garros in late May. She lost her first-round match at both tournaments.
Eala will next face Italian Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round on Monday, July 6. In the meantime, watch her full press conference below.
