Filipina trailblazer advances to the Wimbledon third round for the first time, amid roaring crowd support.
Alexandra Eala made history as the first player from the Philippines in the Open era to reach the third round of a Grand Slam, defeating Maya Joint in an “electric” Wimbledon atmosphere on Thursday.
The 21-year-old rallied to overcome Serena Williams’ first-round conqueror Joint 3–6, 6–2, 6–0, backed by hundreds of Filipino supporters on Court Three.
“It’s obviously an amazing thing for me to do that for my country,” she said after securing a place in the last 32, where she will face reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek.
“I really appreciate being able to share this moment with the nation, but first and foremost, it makes me incredibly proud of the work I’ve put in.”
There was an unmistakably Filipino atmosphere in the small arena on Thursday, driven not only by her large contingent of enthusiastic supporters waving the Philippine flag.
Her team and family also wore T-shirts featuring the sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines.
“I think the atmosphere today was amazing — it was electric, respectful, and everything I could have hoped for,” said Eala, who lingered on court to sign autographs for fans.
“Of course, I also want to give them my time,” Eala told reporters about her fans. “It’s extremely hard to get tickets here at Wimbledon, so I’m very happy with the support.”
The Philippines, the world’s 12th most populous country, has had relatively few female sports stars in recent years, with boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and gymnast Carlos Yulo among those carrying its flag on the global stage.
Eala wore a custom Nike visor featuring a Tagalog phrase that translates as: “Every dream begins as a seed. Once it grows, it cannot be stopped.”
“It’s really sentimental for me to wear things or carry parts of my culture with me on court, because it’s a big part of who I am,” added Eala, the 29th seed.
“And for me to be able to represent the Philippines at Wimbledon, and on the biggest stages in the world, it means so much to me.”
Hard work ‘paying off’
Eala will resume her budding rivalry with six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek on Saturday.
She recorded a shock victory over the Pole in the 2025 Miami Open quarter-finals before letting a one-set lead slip in Madrid during their rematch a few weeks later.
Eala also eased concerns among supporters over a potential injury, despite heavy strapping on her right leg.
“I’m okay — no injury, no serious problem. The bandage is more preventative. I’m just normal tired. It’s my job, so I’ll be back,” she said.
Eala had previously found it difficult to translate strong WTA Tour performances into Grand Slam success, winning just one match across her previous five major appearances.
However, she arrived at Wimbledon in strong grass-court form after reaching the semi-finals in Berlin and winning a WTA 125 title in Birmingham.
“I’ve been working extremely hard, my team has been working extremely hard, and I really feel like it’s paying off. These wins mean a lot,” said Eala.
Eala gained a measure of revenge for a narrow defeat to Joint, who had won 12–10 in a deciding-set tie-break in last year’s Eastbourne final.
“It hit me quite hard — I cried a lot and wasn’t able to watch the highlights for a couple of months,” she said of that match.
“I think I’ve improved a lot over the past year, and I’m happy that I can look back on it now and smile.”
