Alexandra Eala's dream run at Wimbledon has come to an end after the fast-rising Filipino star was beaten in three sets by Jasmine Paolini on Monday.
Left-hander Eala had produced one of the shocks of the tournament so far when she knocked out defending champion Iga Swiatek in Round 3 as the pride of the Philippines continued her record-breaking performance.
But the 21-year-old found former All England Club runner-up Paolini a step too far as the Italian sealed her quarter-final spot by winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on a scorching hot Centre Court.
It has been an unforgettable summer on grass for Eala which saw her claiming the Birmingham Open title – her second WTA crown after winning in Guadalajara last September – four weeks before beginning what is only her second appearance in the main draw of Wimbledon.
She created history by becoming the first Filipino to reach Round 3 of a Grand Slam after fighting back to defeat Australia's Maya Joint in three sets. Then on Saturday, the 21-year-old secured the biggest win of her career to date after beating six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek 7-6, 6-2.
“For someone like Iga, who has won so many Grand Slams, this achievement may seem small but for someone who grew up in the Philippines it is huge,” said an emotional Eala after beating the Pole, also on Centre Court.
It was always going to be a challenge both mentally and physically to maintain that form against two-time Slam runner-up Paolini, with Eala taking to Court 1 with heavy strapping around her right leg and her left hitting arm.
And Eala was soon in trouble in the opener after Paolini opened up a 4-1 and then 5-2 advantage with the 2024 finalist then serving to seal the set. But the Filipino appeared to find her groove as she broke back to make it 5-4, only for 13th seed Paolini to break again and secure the first set.
If she was to have any chance of recovering, Eala needed to improve on her first serves as her second was being repeatedly gobbled up by a ruthless Paolini.
And the 8,000 fans watching back home in Manila's PhilSports Arena would have been delighted to see their hero battle back strongly and level proceedings in the second set.
With the match on a knife edge going into the decider Paolini grabbed the vital break of serve to lead 5-3 and then finished the job in the next game as Eala sent a return wide, but the popular 29th seed had earned the standing ovation awarded to her by an appreciative crowd that included Billie Jean King and Roger Federer watching from the Royal Box.
The previous two times Paolini has reached the quarter-finals of a Slam, she went on to reach the final – at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in 2024 – so the omens look good for the Italian.
“I came here without many matches in the last month and after the first set in the first round, it was like 'OK I can only get better, it can't go worse',” Paolini said on court.
“I'm feeling better point by point and game by game. Grass is a weird surface, sometimes you love it, sometimes you hate, but when you play well and feel good, it's the best surface.”
The 30-year-old, whose tournament was in doubt with a foot injury, admitted she had been through a testing year having dropped out of the world top 10. “It was really tough, a rollercoaster,” she added. “There were tough moments but I kept working with my team supporting me.
“Every day I'm feeling better, I feel in the right way when I compete on court again. That's the most important thing to me. Stay positive and enjoy my tennis. I love what I do but I have to enjoy it, it's my superpower.”
Paolini will now face 12th seed Marta Kostyuk – who reached a first Grand Slam semi-final in Paris last month – after the Ukrainian defeated American qualifier Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-4 on Court 2.
Kostyuk completed the win in one hour and 23 minutes, a much needed quicker finish after tough three-set clashes in the previous two rounds.
Belgium's Elise Mertens followed up her impressive win over second seed Elena Rybakina with another straight-sets victory, this time beating Marie Bouzko of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4 to reach the last eight for the first time.
