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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Eala falls to Paolini in Wimbledon fourth round, caps best Grand Slam run

Eala falls to Paolini in Wimbledon fourth round, caps best Grand Slam run

Published Jul 6, 2026 11:27 pm

At A Glance

  • Playing on Centre Court for the second time before a packed crowd that included tennis icons Billie Jean King and Roger Federer, the Filipina just couldn't keep up with the aggressive plays of the two-time Grand Slam finalist to succumb after two hours and 22 minutes.
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines falls over during the women's singles fourth round match against Jasmine Paolini of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 6, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Alexandra Eala of the Philippines falls over during the women's singles fourth round match against Jasmine Paolini of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 6, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Alex Eala’s dream Wimbledon run came to an end after bowing to 13th seed Jasmine Paolini, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, in the fourth round on Monday, July 6.
Playing on Centre Court for the second time before a packed crowd that included tennis icons Billie Jean King and Roger Federer, the Filipina just couldn’t keep up with the aggressive plays of the two-time Grand Slam finalist to succumb after two hours and 22 minutes.
Despite the loss, Eala produced her best Grand Slam showing yet, eclipsing her previous first- and second-round finishes over the past two years.
Paolini, a 2024 finalist, dictated the tempo early in the first set, racing to a 4-1 lead behind her strong baseline game and pinpoint shot placements that kept Eala on the defensive.
But the 29th-seeded Eala refused to back down, sharpening her returns in the second set and taking full advantage of Paolini’s 21 unforced errors to level the match.
Paolini, however, quickly regained her footing in the decider, unleashing heavier forehands, improving her serve, and attacking the net more often to seize the early momentum.
The two held serve through the first set games before Paolini struck in the eighth, converting her second break-point opportunity to break Eala for a pivotal 5-3 advantage before closing out the match.
“I came here with not many matches, you know. I played really few matches in the last months and after the first set, I was like, okay, I can go better. Game by game I think, I’m feeling myself,” said Paolini during on-court interview, who was playing her only second tournament on grass this year.
“Game by game, I think I’m feeling myself… Grass is a weird surface. Sometimes you can hate it, but when you play well and when you feel good, I think it’s the best surface to play on, so today I was really enjoying it,” she added.
The win arranged Paolini a quarterfinal meeting with Ukrainian 12th seed Marta Kostyuk, who earlier dispatched American qualifier Ashlyn Kruger, 6-4, 6-4.

Related Tags

Alex Eala Jasmine Paolini Wimbledon
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