sports
Alex Eala reaches Wimbledon fourth round then loses to Paolini
The 21-year-old defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek before losing in the round of 16. She received a presidential citation and attended multiple homecoming events in Manila this week.
Jul 17, 4:36 AM·1m read1 source
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Alex Eala reached the fourth round of the 2026 Wimbledon singles tournament, becoming the first Filipino to advance that far in a Grand Slam event, ESPN reported. Eala defeated then-World No. 3 and defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets.
She lost to Jasmine Paolini in the round of 16 by a score of 4-6, 6-4, 3-6. Eala holds a career record of 7-4 against WTA Top 10 opponents, including victories over Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina. She returned to the Philippines this week for a series of public appearances.
On July 14 she received a presidential citation from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and met executives at a sponsor event. The next day she attended a fan gathering in Taguig and spoke at Glorietta Mall in Makati.
"I genuinely felt everyone's love and support during each match, so it's wonderful to be home again," Eala said. " Eala described the Wimbledon run as the most memorable moment of her career so far. She also said she aims to reach a higher level of focus before matches.
The 21-year-old added that she likes to seize opportunities that arise from her preparation.
