"Eala looked like the person who had six majors": Greg Rusedski hails Filipina star while explaining Iga Swiatek's struggles

Tuesday, 14 July 2026 at 02:30

Alex Eala left Wimbledon with the biggest breakthrough of her young career, reaching the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time and becoming the first Filipino player—man or woman—to reach the fourth round of a major. Along the way, the 21-year-old stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets before pushing 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini to three sets in the last 16.

The run capped an outstanding grass-court swing for Eala, who lifted the WTA 125 title in Birmingham before reaching the semifinals of the Berlin Ladies Open. Those results propelled her to a career-high No. 28 in the WTA Rankings and firmly established her among the fastest-rising players on the Tour.

Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski believes Wimbledon was more than a breakthrough week. In his view, it confirmed that Eala already possesses one of the most important qualities required to compete for the sport's biggest titles, while identifying the final piece still missing from her game.

His praise for the Filipina also came with an honest assessment of Swiatek's current struggles. Using their Wimbledon meeting as the clearest example, Rusedski argued that the contrast between both players went far beyond the scoreline, pointing instead to a noticeable difference in confidence and mentality.

"She's like the Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines"

Rusedski believes Eala's impact now extends well beyond tennis in her home country, comparing her popularity to one of the Philippines' greatest sporting icons.

"She's the first Filipino man or woman ever to reach the fourth round of a major. She's like the Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines," he said in Off Court with Greg Rusedski. "Everybody turns on the TV to watch her. The whole nation comes to a standstill. Wherever she is in the world, everybody wants to see her."

The former world No. 4 was equally impressed by what he saw on court throughout the tournament. "The serve is the area. If she can get that serve up, then she's top 20 and starts climbing higher. She's got the game to win at Wimbledon. It's just keeping on moving forward, keeping on improving."

Alexandra Eala dives for ball iconic shot at Wimbledon

More than any technical aspect, however, Rusedski highlighted Eala's competitive mindset as the biggest reason behind her rapid rise.

"For me, the most impressive thing was her mentality. Between the ears, never say die. She always gets stuck in. She's grinding. She's fighting. This is the big breakthrough. Can she continue in the hard courts coming up this summer? I think so. If she can get a little bit more pop on the first and second serve, she's good."

Why Rusedski thinks Swiatek is putting too much pressure on herself

While Eala left London with career-best results, Swiatek endured another disappointing tournament. The Pole was unable to defend her Wimbledon crown, exited in the third round, and slipped to No. 8 in the WTA Rankings after another inconsistent stretch.

Rather than pointing to technical flaws, Rusedski believes the problem begins with Swiatek's expectations. "I think she's putting so much pressure and so much expectation on herself, like she should be dominating, like she was when she was winning those French Opens easily and winning matches very convincingly."

Iga Swiatek reached the fourth round at the French Open before losing to Marta Kostyuk, ending a streak of six consecutive appearances in at least the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.

He argued that their Wimbledon meeting perfectly illustrated the current contrast between the two players. "In the Swiatek-Eala match, Eala looked like the person who had six majors. She was the one with swagger, walking around with confidence. Swiatek was looking up to the box. She was very nervous. She was very tight."

For Rusedski, the solution is not changing her game, but recovering the freedom that once made her almost untouchable. "She's got to find a way to rediscover that love and remember what it was like when she was a youngster, when there was just joy for playing tennis and finding ways to win."

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He finished by insisting that Swiatek remains one of the best players in the world, provided she can stop overthinking and trust her instincts again. "I think it's mindset. When she was dominating, yes, she was intense, but she still had a little bit of relaxation in there. It's a tricky balance because what made her great and made her such a champion was that incredible intensity.

“Usually when you play your best tennis, you're not overthinking. You're just saying, 'I've got to break down the backhand,' and you let it flow,” Rusedski added. “If she can get that flow back and that enjoyment, she's too good a player not to get back to where she belongs — in the top five competing for Slams, especially on clay."

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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