Alexandra Eala defeats Maya Joint to reach Wimbledon third round

Alexandra Eala reached the third round of the women's singles at Wimbledon, the furthest any player from the Philippines has gone in a Grand Slam tournament. The 21-year-old defeated Australia's Maya Joint to secure the result. Eala is scheduled to face defending champion Iga Swiatek on Saturday, Reuters reported.

She has beaten Swiatek before, including in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open last year. "I think it's going to be tough for me. I'm going to try to make it tough for her, as well," Eala said. "I'm expecting a great challenge.

I have been working extremely hard. I really feel that it's paying off. " Eala trained at Rafael Nadal's tennis academy in Spain. In 2022 she became the first Filipino to win a junior Grand Slam title at the US Open.

The Philippines hosted its first WTA event, the Philippine Open, in January. Manny Pacquiao congratulated Eala and encouraged her to keep it up. Eala's former Wimbledon doubles partner also congratulated her for making history.

Filipino fans have gathered at the tournament, waving national flags and displaying signs referencing Filipino culture.