No stopping Eala now?

MANILA, Philippines — Whether she falls down like London Bridge or stands tall like the Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, Alex Eala will swing and slug it out against whoever stands in her way as she bids to crack Wimbledon’s Last 8.

Riding the momentum of Philippine tennis history, the Filipina warrior treads another uncharted path today in a highly anticipated Round of 16 clash at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club with Olympic gold medalist Jasmine Paolini of Italy.

“Just because I’m emotional doesn’t mean I’m satisfied. So let’s move on to the next round and let’s go,” declared the 21-year-old Eala shortly after unseating reigning Wimbledon champion and world No. 3 Iga Swiatek of Poland under the Centre Court lights, 7-6 (11-9), 6-2.

The Philippine darling’s stunner catapulted her to a new career-high of No. 28 in the WTA live rankings – with a chance to go as high as 25th if she takes care of business against the Italian. It also meant a £300,000 (around P24.6 million) in prize money, possibly more if she continues to roll.

Anticipation for the Eala-Paolini match is sky-high following Eala’s earth-shaking upset of Swiatek, a 25-year-old six-time Grand Slam champion.

The winner faces either No. 12 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine – Eala’s close friend – or unseeded Ashlyn Krueger of the US in the quarters.

From a field of 128, Eala stormed into the Last 16 with a win that sent shockwaves through the 120-million-strong Philippine nation and across the globe. Social media engagement on Wimbledon’s pages hit all-time highs.

Eala’s winning clips drew more than 400,000 reactions and 20 million views on Facebook, and over 600,000 likes and 20 million views on Instagram.

The world witnessed Eala’s rise as the first Filipino – man or woman – to reach the Round of 16 at any Grand Slam. She received greetings from local and international personalities, including an encounter with Catherine, Princess of Wales, prior to her London breakthrough.

That adds to her growing list of firsts: first Filipina seeded in a Slam main draw, first Filipina match winner at a major, and first Filipino to reach the third round.

For that alone, she’s gained legions of new fans. President Marcos, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and legendary artist Lea Salonga led the local supporters. Tennis icon Billie Jean King, a 39-time Grand Slam champion, and five-time Slam winner Maria Sharapova – Eala’s “super idol” – were among the international stars in awe.

Even Marvel actors Andrew Garfield and Tom Hiddleston were spotted in the London crowd, leaping in amazement as Eala ended Swiatek’s reign.

“(Alex) is a star,” said the 39-year-old Sharapova. A photo of a young Eala with Sharapova during her world No. 1 days in the 2000s has since gone viral.

But nothing compares to the image of Eala diving on the grass of the All England Club – the sport’s oldest and most iconic venue – to keep a rally alive. It became the defining photo across news outlets worldwide, symbolizing the resilience, grit, and never-say-die spirit of Eala and the Filipino people.

That spirit will be tested again against Paolini, a Wimbledon and French Open finalist in 2024 who holds a Grand Slam doubles crown and an Olympic doubles gold. Paolini enters as the favorite.

“I think Jasmine is a great player. She is a great fighter. It was not an easy match in Dubai for me. It will not be an easy match here either,” said Eala, who stunned Paolini at the Dubai Tennis Championships earlier this year, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

What helps Eala is the wave of support online and on-site, plus the momentum of the greatest run for Philippine tennis at a major.

“I think Eala’s game suits grass very well. She showed a great level in Berlin. I think she’s a very dangerous player here at Wimbledon,” Paolini admitted after dispatching No. 43 Maria Sakkari of Greece, 6-1, 6-2. “It’s going to be a tough one.”

After Swiatek, Eala has now beaten seven Top-10 players in her young career. She’s out to add an Olympic champion to that list.