Alexandra Eala, 21, may have lost in the Round of 16 against Jasmine Paolini, but she won plenty of hearts with her stunning triumph over defending champion Iga Swiatek. Her inspiring back story made her a fan favourite over the past week.
On the other hand, her opponent, Paolini, hadn’t set foot on Centre Court since her defeat to Barbora Krejcikova in the 2024 Wimbledon final. However, on Monday, after defeating Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in 2 hours and 22 minutes to reach the quarter-finals, she earned her fair share of redemption.
Facing a fan favourite on Centre Court would have been enough pressure on Paolini. But she also had to do it in front of her tennis idol — Roger Federer.
“Stepping on this court is something special, and I was looking forward to it,” Paolini said in her on-court interview. “Here, there is an amazing atmosphere. It’s something else to play tennis here, you know, and I feel so lucky to have this opportunity. I feel lucky to get the win as well, and I want to thank you as well, Roger, because (you’re) my idol.”
Paolini became the first Italian woman to reach multiple Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Paolini started strong and took a 4-1 lead in the first set with a sharp backhand and a great volley. After that, she started struggling during her serves. Eala eventually broke her serve to make it 4-5 after Paolini made two mistakes. Unfortunately, Eala lost her serve right after, giving Paolini the first set 6-4.
The second set had a similar story; however, the 21-year-old was in control. She was laser-focused as she saved three break points (from 0-40 down) to lead 5-3, after which she won the set to tie the match at 1-1.
In the final set, it was errors galore, especially off Eala’s racquet. The youngster’s biggest mistake came in the eighth game, when she hit a double fault, giving Paolini a critical point. On the next serve, Eala hit the ball too long, which allowed Paolini to break her serve and take control.
The Italian did not miss the invitation to break the tie. Even though Paolini fell 0-30 behind, a thunderous ace sealed the deal and helped her win.
“Stepping on these courts is something special,” Paolini said later. “It was a great atmosphere, and I feel so lucky.
“I have not played many matches [of late], and after the first set of the first round [which I lost 6-0], I was like okay: can only go better. Point by point, and game by game, I am working my way back. I am getting better,” she added.
Paolini next faces Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals, who advanced after a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ashlyn Krueger in 1 hour and 23 minutes.
“She’s playing great tennis this year,” Paolini said of Kostyuk in her post-match press conference. “She’s improved a lot. She can be really aggressive. She’s a great athlete. She can move really well on court. It’s going to be a tough match. We have to prepare well. We have to watch a little bit of her game style here on grass.”
“We are in the quarterfinals, so it’s normal to have these kinds of matches. Hopefully I can play good tennis, and hopefully it’s going to be a good match also for the people.”
