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Iga Swiatek’s title defence at Wimbledon ended Saturday in a 7-6 (9), 6-2 third-round loss to 21-year-old Alexandra Eala, who continues to make history for the Philippines.
Eala is the first Filipino player, male or female, to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament.
The left-handed Eala dropped to her knees and rolled onto her back on Centre Court after hitting a forehand winner on her third match point.
“It’s incredible to have my countrymen cheering me on and knowing that we’re all in this together,” she said in an on-court interview as she looked around at the Philippines flags.
“This goes out to them, this goes out to my family, this goes out to all the little girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks. It means the world,” said Eala, who saved two set points in the first-set tiebreaker.
The third-seeded Swiatek earned her first Wimbledon women’s title a year ago when she beat Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final.
Eala, who has trained in Mallorca at the Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy, gained worldwide support last year on her breakthrough run to the Miami Open semifinals, which included an upset of Swiatek.
2022 champion Rybakina also out
Shortly before Swiatek’s exit, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was upset in the third round by Elise Mertens 7-6 (4), 6-1.
At No. 2, Rybakina is the highest seed on the women’s side to be eliminated and her loss ensures that Aryna Sabalenka will keep her No. 1 ranking after the tournament.
Mertens faces Naomi Osaka in the fourth round on Sunday.
Belgium’s Mertens is the No. 25 seed at Wimbledon, where she’s won two doubles titles.
Dabrowski, Stefani through to 3rd round
Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil moved on to the Wimbledon women’s doubles third round Saturday.
Dabrowski, 34, and Stefani defeated Americans Caroline Dolehide and Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-2 in second-round action at the grass-court Grand Slam.
The second-seeded duo converted three of 11 breakpoint opportunities while fending off three breakpoint chances from the Americans to win the match in one hour 32 minutes.
They’ll next face 14th seeds Storm Hunter of Australia and Caty McNally of the United States.
Elsewhere, Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., and partner Joe Salisbury of Britain advanced to the second round in mixed doubles.
Fernandez and Salisbury downed Britain’s Julian Cash and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands 7-6 (7), 6-4.
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