Alex Eala has made Philippine tennis history, becoming the first Filipina to reach the third round of a Grand Slam singles tournament after a commanding comeback win at Wimbledon.
The 21-year-old Filipina rallied from a set down to defeat Australian Maya Joint, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, in the second round at the All England Club on Thursday.
Eala dropped the opening set but turned the match around with a strong second-set response, then shut out Joint in the decider to seal her place in the Round of 32. The victory also gave Eala payback after Joint defeated her in last year’s Eastbourne final.
The win is another landmark for Eala, who entered Wimbledon as the first Filipina to be seeded in the tournament’s singles draw. Now, she owns an even bigger record as the first Filipina to reach the third round of any Grand Slam singles event.
Eala opened her Wimbledon campaign with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Mexico’s Renata Zarazua, before delivering her latest statement victory against Joint. Her run now puts Philippine tennis on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Next up is a massive test. Eala will face defending Wimbledon champion and six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Świątek in the third round, with a place in the last 16 on the line.
