Swiatek’s title defence ended, ex-champ Rybakina crashes out at Wimbledon

Reigning champion Iga Swiatek was dumped out of Wimbledon in the third round on Saturday as an inspired Alexandra Eala created more history for the Philippines with a straight-sets victory on Centre Court.

Eala edged a dramatic 84-minute first set before powering to a 7-6 (11/9), 6-2 victory over a stunned Swiatek on Centre Court to reach the last 16.

“It’s difficult to describe. I’m in the second week of a Slam and it’s incredible for me,” said Eala.

It is six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek’s earliest exit from a major tournament since another third-round defeat, by Yulia Putintseva, also at Wimbledon two years ago.

The 21-year-old Eala became the first player from the Philippines to reach the third round of a Grand Slam event in the Open era by defeating Maya Joint on Thursday.

But the 29th seed was not overawed by taking on six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, notching her second win in three meetings with the Polish third seed.

“I’m really emotional and maybe for someone like Iga who has won so many Slams, or someone like Serena or Venus (Williams), this achievement might seem small,” Eala added.

“But for someone who grew up in the Philippines… I trained with my mother and my grandfather every day after school with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks… so for her this is everything.”

The left-hander, who had only won one match at a Slam before this week, will next face former runner-up Jasmine Paolini on Monday.

Eala will be bidding to become the first player from the Philippines to reach a singles Grand Slam quarter-final since Felicisimo Ampon at the 1953 French Open.

She had enjoyed raucous support from her Filipino fans on the outside courts at the All England Club in the first two rounds, but again impressed in a far less partisan atmosphere on Centre Court against Swiatek.

The 25-year-old Swiatek failed to bounce back from a disappointing last-16 defeat at the French Open, where she is a four-time winner.

She made 44 unforced errors as she struggled to regroup after missing two set points in a first-set tie-break.

– Marathon first set –

Eala stretched into a 5-3 lead but failed to serve out the opener, seeing one set point come and go.

Both players saw multiple chances slip from their grasp in a high-quality breaker, before Eala finally forged in front on her fourth set point when Swiatek sent a backhand sailing long.

The world number 32 took full control of the tie by racing into a 4-0 lead against her shell-shocked opponent in the second set.

Swiatek scrapped hard to get one of the breaks back, but then slipped 5-2 behind after serving two double-faults in another sloppy service game.

Eala got over the line in a dramatic final game, saving four break points before clinching the biggest victory of her career on her third match point.

She fell to the turf in celebration after finishing the contest with a forehand winner, sobbing tears of joy as Swiatek made a hasty departure.

Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina suffered a shock third-round exit in a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 defeat against Elise Mertens on Saturday.

Rybakina was hoping to follow her Australian Open triumph in January by winning Wimbledon for the second time.

But the world number two was unable to emulate her 2022 victory at the All England Club as Belgian 25th seed Mertens produced a major upset on Court One.

Rybakina, 27, also endured a disappointing early departure from the recent French Open, losing to Yuliia Starodubtseva in the second round.

The Russia-born Kazakhstani, who beat Ons Jabeur to win Wimbledon four years ago, has failed to make it past the third round on her last two visits to south-west London.

But Rybakina has no intention of letting the defeat ruin the rest of the season.

“I just try to move on. I mean, I lost so many times. I’m sure I’m still going to keep losing. It’s impossible to win everything,” she said.

“Not the result I wanted today. Definitely not happy. I’m of course upset, but it’s not going to take more than one, two days.”

Rybakina plans to analyse her form closely before the hard-court swing, which culminates in the US Open.

“If I knew why, I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. As soon as it happened a couple weeks ago when I was not playing my best, honestly, I don’t know,” she said.

“I was getting a lot of opportunities since I was losing early in the tournaments. Definitely I need to analyse and change something, because it’s not working.

“Now it’s going to be at least for a longer period of time same surface, and it’s kind of one of the last pushes of the year.

“First, I’m looking forward to change a little bit the scenario and just rest.”

Mertens is a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion and has now reached the last 16 in the All England Club singles on four occasions.

She will play Czech 21st seed Marie Bouzkova for a place in the quarter-finals.

The 30-year-old’s best run in a Grand Slam singles tournament is a 2018 Australian Open semi-final appearance.

“Definitely one of my most memorable wins, especially against her here at Wimbledon,” Mertens said.

“Looking back on my previous results on grass this year, it was a little bit of a mixed feelings.

“I really grew into the match. Also especially my last match, also grew into that match. That gave me a little bit of confidence.

I soaked it all in today on Court One. It’s a beautiful court to play at.”

AFP