Alexandra Eala produced the performance of a lifetime to defeat Iga Swiatek on Saturday afternoon.
Eala, the 29th seed, defeated the defending Wimbledon champion 7-6, 6-2 in south-west London.
The youngster cut an emotional figure after the match, describing the victory as one of the biggest of her career to date.
How many Grand Slams will Alex Eala win in her career? 🏆
She's just knocked out the defending Wimbledon champion!
The triumph will have come as a great delight to her fans across the world – not least in the Philippines.
One of Eala’s fans is the President of the Philippines, and he sent a message to the youngster following her historic Wimbledon victory.
President Bongbong Marcos congratulates Alexandra Eala on her Wimbledon victory
President Bongbong Marcos – real name Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – is the 17th President of the Philippines.
The president was sworn in on June 30, 2022, at the National Museum of Fine Arts and has served the south-east Asian country ever since.
“She is becoming a real inspiration, especially for the youth—for the Filipino youth,” the President said during a press briefing in Vancouver, Canada, as reported by Harlene Delgado of ABS-CBN News.
“We now have a player – a woman, at least – who has reached the third round at Wimbledon; it is an extraordinary achievement, truly world-class. It is amazing.
“Remember when she started winning? I keep saying, ‘This is just the beginning.’ She is just starting. And, as you can see, I was right: she is just starting.
Alexandra Eala’s Wimbledon record
- 2024: Third round of qualifying [lost to Lulu Sun]
- 2025: First round [lost to defending champion Barbora Krejcikova]
- 2026: advanced to the fourth round after beating defending champion Iga Swiatek. Will play Jasmine Paolini next.
“Our young prospect still has a lot to offer. This is truly great news. I watched the last set this morning, and it was… a great result. A wonderful result.
“Congratulations Alex. Keep going. We are all behind you,” he continued.
“The entire Filipino nation is rooting for you; we know you are fighting hard, filling us with pride, and bringing prestige and honour to the Philippines.
“Keep going, keep going, keep going! We are behind you. Well done.
Eala will seek to book her place in a first major quarter-final when she plays Italy’s Jasmine Paolini on Monday.
The Filipina defeated Paolini earlier this year at the Dubai Tennis Championships, winning 6-1, 7-6 in the round of 32.
Alex Eala comments on being an inspiration for Filipino women and girls
“You have the opportunity to be a role model for women and girls in the Philippines. What would that mean or what does that mean already?” Eala was asked during her post-match press conference after beating Swiatek on Saturday.
“Heavy question,” Eala replied with a smile.
“Well, you got me speechless there,” she admitted. “It’s an honour to be able to pave the way for young girls.
“It would be the honour of my life to be able to inspire others. I think inspiration is such a beautiful thing.
“Then again, I want to remind anybody that you can take inspiration from anywhere you want. Anywhere, anyone, if you want to be inspired, and if you’re inspired by it, it will just come to you.
“I try to be as authentic as I can,” the Filipina continued. “I believe in being genuine. I believe in my values.
“This exposure I guess or this platform that I have has really allowed me to self-reflect. It allows me to become the best version of myself, because I know that a lot of people look up to me.
How high do you think Alexandra Eala’s ceiling is?
“Then again, I think the main message here is that I don’t want them to look at me and say, I want to be the next Alex Eala. I want them to look at me and say, ‘wow, I want to be the first me. I want to make my own path.’
