Alex Eala’s dream run at Wimbledon was ended by 13th seed Jasmine Paolini.
Eala, who knocked out defending champion Iga Swiatek, was beaten by Paolini in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Alexandra Eala will finish 2026 ranked — in the world
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The Italian is through to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the second time in her career, following her 2024 campaign, where she reached the final.
She will take on Marta Kostyuk in the last eight, with the Ukrainian looking to make her second consecutive Grand Slam semifinal.
With the triumph over Eala, Paolini has just achieved a feat no woman has managed in tennis in over 40 years.
Jasmine Paolini achieves incredible feat at Wimbledon
Paolini’s campaign at Wimbledon got off to a rough start, having lost her first set at the tournament 6-0 against American qualifier Robin Montgomery in round one.
According to Opta Ace, Paolini is now just the second player in the Open Era to reach the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon women’s singles tournament, having dropped her opening set at the event 6-0.
She joins Mima Jausovec, who did so at the 1981 Wimbledon Championships before falling in the quarterfinals to Chris Evert.
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After being bagelled in the opening round, Paolini won her next two matches against Viktorija Golubic and Maria Sakarri in straight sets.
The grass swing did not start well for Paolini, who played just one tune-up tournament ahead of Wimbledon: The Eastbourne Open, where she lost her first match.
It has been a difficult season for her, but the 30-year-old appears to have found her groove again at the All England Club.
Jasmine Paolini’s record against Marta Kostyuk
Paolini has faced her next opponent, Kostyuk, three times before on the WTA Tour and leads the head-to-head 2-1.
They first clashed back in 2022 at the Cincinnati Open, where Kostyuk came out on top in straight sets.
Paolini earned revenge later on that season in Cluj-Napoca, coming back from a set down to level the scoring in their rivalry.
Their most recent bout was in 2023, again at the Cincinnati Open, with Paolini dominating this time, 6-2, 6-1.
All three of those meetings were played on hard court, though, and now they will do battle on grass for the first time for a place in the Wimbledon semifinals.
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