Jasmine Paolini ends Alexandra Eala’s dream run, reaches Wimbledon 2026 quarterfinals

Jasmine Paolini’s smile outshone the blazing southwest London sun. The 30year-old Italian, once ranked No. 4 but now seeded 13 after slipping out of the top 10, relied on her greatest strength, her infectious positivity, to overcome the in-form Alexandra Eala 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 21 minutes.

Her clenched fist and radiant smile at match point were a reminder of what she would later call her “superpower.”Eala, the 21-year-old Filipino whose rise has ignited tennis fever back home and around the world, arrived brimming with confidence after knocking out defending champion Iga Swiatek and showcasing her growing prowess on grass. Against Paolini, however, the left-hander needed another gear. The Italian found it first, striking 38 winners to Eala’s 25, taking the initiative whenever she could and rediscovering the forehand that had once carried her to two Major finals.

With eight-time champion Roger Federer watching from the Royal Box, elegant in a deep olive-green suit, Paolini admitted it took some effort to keep her focus on the match.“I want to thank Roger, he’s my idol,” the 30-year-old said during her on-court interview. “In the match I was trying to stay focused and not think about him being here. I watched all the finals and tournaments that he played here. It was amazing.”Paolini will next face 12th seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, who defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first Wimbledon quarter-final. Belgium's Elise Mertens beat Czech Maria Bouzkova 6-4, 6-4.Meanwhile, in the junior boys doubles, Arnav Paparkar and Thailand’s Kunanan Pantaratorn scored a 7-6 (4), 5-7, 10-8 win over the British pairing of Liam Channon and William Moxon.