LONDON - Iga Swiatek’s Wimbledon title defense collapsed Saturday as the Polish third seed lost 7-6(9), 6-2 to rising Filipina Alexandra Eala in the third round.
Swiatek arrived at the All England Club searching for consistency after an early exit in Bad Homburg. Eala, a left-hander with powerful baseline shot-making, rattled the champion early in a fierce opening set. The tension peaked when Swiatek slammed her racket on a chair after losing the tiebreak.
Eala ramped up the pressure immediately in the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead. Though Swiatek regained a break, Eala snuffed out the comeback with a forehand winner to clinch the match.
She will face 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini in the fourth round.