By Emille Blanc
MANILA — Philippine tennis sensation Alex Eala kept making history after rallying past Australia’s Maya Joint, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, to reach the third round of Wimbledon for the first time in her young career.
Eala endured a slow start but never lost confidence. She gradually found her rhythm by controlling baseline exchanges, improving her serve, and putting constant pressure on Joint, who struggled to keep pace as the match progressed.
The momentum swung decisively in the second set before Eala completely dominated the third, winning six straight games to complete an emphatic comeback that highlighted both her composure and maturity on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
The victory adds another chapter to an already memorable season for the Filipina, who has continued to collect career-first achievements against some of the world’s best players. Her Wimbledon breakthrough is the deepest singles run ever by a Filipino player in the Open Era.
Eala now faces her toughest assignment yet when she takes on reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Świątek in a blockbuster third-round showdown, with hopes of extending her dream campaign even further.
ia/
