Jasmine Paolini defeats Iga Swiatek’s conqueror, Alexandra Eala in three sets to reach the last eight at Wimbledon 2026

Former finalist Jasmine Paolini booked a spot in the quarter finals with a hard-fought three-set victory over Iga Swiatek’s conqueror, Alexandra Eala.

The Italian was more proactive and aggressive in the key moments as she posted a 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory in two hours and 22 minutes on Centre Court.

Eala had revelled in the spotlight after ending Swiatek’s reign as Wimbledon champion but made a sluggish, low-key start, with a fired-up Paolini drilling a backhand winner down the line to deservedly break for a 3-1 lead.

The 2024 runner-up blinked trying to serve it out at 5-3 but immediately broke again with her forehand doing plenty of damage to claim the opener in 51 minutes.  

The 29th seed, Eala was far more productive at the start of the second set and after seeing an early break wiped out, the Filipina seized control in the seventh game and stood firm to serve out and force the decider.

Paolini tightened up her game in the third stanza and broke for a 5-3 lead before serving out on her first match point to set up a last-eight tussle with Marta Kostyuk.

Paolini is the first Italian to reach multiple quarter-finals in Women’s Singles in Wimbledon in the Open Era (2024 and 2026) - via Opta.

Paolini prevails!

The Italian hits back from 0-30 down and her face lights up in delight when Eala returns wide on the first match point.

The 13th seed is into her second quarter-final in SW19 and a third one at Grand Slams overall.

Interestingly, every time Jasmine has gone beyond R4 at a Major, she has gone on to reach the final - will that happen again here?

Eala backs up a belting backhand down the line with a smash at the net but can’t pull clear from 30-15 up.

Paolini misses out in a lung-bursting rally with a backhand into the net but presses to deuce with a leaping forehand approach that forces the lob defence long.

The 29th seed buckles with a loose forehand wide but Jasmine snatches at the return with a poor forehand into the net.

The Italian gets a second chance when the Filipina double faults and makes the breakthrough when her opponent skews a backhand beyond the baseline.

Paolini ups the ante with the scoreboard pressure as a swift one-two punch clinches a hold to 15 with the minimum of fuss.

Frustration for Jasmine.

The 13th seed is guilty of over-pressing trying to force a breakthrough and it allows Eala to duck out of dodge and level with the hold to 30.

Paolini leaves herself with work to do at 0-30 and is relieved to see a crosscourt backhand return land just wide.

The Italian waves at another return as it flies long and hits clutch mode from there with a crushing forehand back-in-behind the Filipina and a clutch serve.

Paolini is ultra-aggressive on the return and a forecourt crosscourt forehand turns the screw at 15-30.

Eala responds with a velvety, high-risk dropper from deep and avoids break point when a counter-punched, low forehand catches Jasmine out on the approach.

The Italian can’t keep the heat on from there and it remains tight in the third.

Jasmine chalks up back-to-back love holds as she keeps leading the way early in the decider.

The Italian has already been more measured in the third set after a flurry of unforced errors contributed to her downfall in the second.

Eala wins a rollercoaster games as she recovers from blowing a 30-0 lead with some tepid second serves to edge the game with a sumptuous, low stun volley at the net.

Paolini looks to reset immediately and it’s an excellent clean hold to open the third as she sends an early message across the net.

Paolini over-presses with a backhand long to open and can’t do enough to crank up the heat.

The Italian goes too big trying to re-direct a forehand and flashes it into the net to cough up two set points.

Eala gets it done on the second as the 13th seed fires long and it’s all to play for in this rollercoaster battle.

Alarm bells blare for Paolini as the set threatens to slip away all too easily.

The Italian responds at 15-30 with a devilish dropper and races through the hold from there with a one-two forehand punch and a crisp backhand down the line.

Eala will now serve to force a decider.

Paolini comes out all guns blazing on the return and a clever crosscourt pass catches Eala out at the net to earn triple break back point.

The Italian can’t take any of them and she hangs her head in frustration when she jabs a tame return into the net off a weak second serve.

The 13th seed’s mood darks from there as she fires two very loose forehands off the island to allow Alexandra to consolidate.

Paolini is her own worst enemy as a timid slice and a double fault give Eala hope from 30-0 down.

The Italian deploys a smart serve and volley routine but is pegged to deuce where she fluffs couple of game points before coughing up a break point.

The 13th seed can’t perform the rescue-act and her backhand falters to surrender her serve.

Eala improvises with a delightful crosscourt backhand slice that she angles away for an unorthodox winner to close-out a hold to 30.

All square heading into the business end of this second stanza and it’s very much up for grabs.

Eala goes on the attack on the return but Paolini grits in from 0-30 and claims a resilient hold to snare the advantage on the board.

Jasmine bites straight back!

Eala fires an inside-in forehand long to drop the opening point and is made to play catch up from there.

Paolini earns the break back point with a lovely stretch volley to the open court and pings away a backhand winner to restore parity on the board.

It’s Eala doing all the pressing at the start of this second set – and she gets her reward!

The 29th seed jabs a brilliant backhand return down the line to earn two more break points and makes it happen on the second of them with a magnificent backhand winner down the line.

Eala motors through a love hold to quickly return to the board.

The Filipina knows she needs to be the aggressor in this second set as she plots a path back into the reckoning.

Paolini stays calm and battles hard to stave off triple break point and reach the sanctuary of deuce.

The Italian clips the outside edge of the line with a short-angled, crosscourt strike off the backhand and then polishes off a superb hold with a fizzing drive volley.