Alexandra Eala’s historic run at the 2026 Wimbledon tournament ended with a thrilling match on Monday, July 6, in the Round of 16. After beating defending champion Iga Swiatek in the previous round, the 21-year-old Filipina star pushed Italy’s Jasmine Paolini to her limits before losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
FORZA 💪
Jasmine Paolini punches her ticket to the final eight after defeating Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3! #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/6OeaiPKofs
— wta (@WTA) July 6, 2026
Paolini took early control of the match, serving well to win the first set. Showing the fight that defined her tournament, Eala hit back with aggressive shots from the baseline to win three straight games and take the second set. In the final set, the two players were tied at 3-3 before Paolini’s experience helped her win the final games.
Despite the loss, Eala’s great performance made her the first Filipino player in the Open Era to reach the second week of a Grand Slam tournament.
Jasmine Paolini’s next opponent in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon will be the 12th seed, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. Kostyuk advanced to the final eight after defeating America’s Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-4. Paolini holds a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Kostyuk coming into their upcoming matchup.