Two of the top three seeds in the Wimbledon women’s singles tournament, including the defending champion, were eliminated in straight sets on Saturday in a seismic shake-up of the draw.
Belgium’s Elise Mertens knocked out No. 2 Elena Rybakina 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 to advance to the fourth round for the second straight year and the third time since 2022. Rybakina, the 2022 singles champion, has now lost in the third round at Wimbledon in consecutive years. Heading into Saturday’s matchup, Rybakina held a 7-1 lifetime advantage over Mertens in singles play. They last met in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, with Rybakina winning in straight sets—her sixth straight win over Mertens.
After needing a first-set tiebreak, Mertens did not let her opponent have a chance to steal the second set. The Belgian, who has not advanced past the fourth round in her Wimbledon singles career, won the break points and serve points battle as Rybakina struggled with unforced errors throughout the match.
Shortly after Rybakina fell, defending champion Iga Świątek lost for the second time in three meetings to 21-year-old Alex Eala from the Philippines, 7-6 (11-9), 6-2. Eala, the first Filipino player—male or female—to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament in the Open Era, last beat Świątek in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open in March 2025.
Eala produced the finest performance of her career, edging an epic opening-set tiebreak before racing away in the second. Despite surrendering an early break, she refused to be intimidated by the defending champion. Eala attacked Świątek’s vulnerable second serve, stepped fearlessly inside the baseline, and repeatedly painted the lines with her flat, penetrating groundstrokes.
“For someone who grew up in the Philippines and went to train with my brother and grandfather every day after school with my ruffled socks and light up shoes and chubby cheeks, to [me] this is everything,” Eala said during her on-court interview.
The first set evolved into a gripping tug-of-war. Eala broke back immediately after falling behind, served for the set at 5-3, and even held set point before Świątek’s champion instincts dragged her back, forcing a marathon tiebreak. Eala surged to a 5-2 lead only for Świątek to claw level. The Pole earned two set points, but both disappeared as Eala displayed remarkable composure. On her third opportunity, after nearly 90 absorbing minutes, Świątek pushed a forehand long, and Eala threw her hands into the air.
Any hopes of a response from Świątek quickly evaporated. Two early breaks in the second set left her reeling as her normally reliable backhand deserted her. Playing with supreme confidence, Eala dictated the rallies with fearless returning and clean ball-striking, repeatedly pinning the Pole behind the baseline.
“Because I am emotional does not mean I am satisfied,” said Eala, who will face Jasmine Paolini in the last 16. “Next round, let’s go. Being here is such a blessing. I’m taking it. If I have the opportunity, I am taking it.”
Earlier, Rybakina’s hopes of adding a second Wimbledon crown unraveled as Mertens produced one of the biggest upsets of the Championships. The opening set was finely balanced, with Rybakina’s trademark power matching Mertens’s relentless consistency. But in the tiebreak, the Belgian seized the moment, edging ahead before taking it 7-4.
“I really took the momentum there,” said Mertens. “I was saying to myself: ‘OK, she has to win another two to win this one.’ I really kept on believing in myself. I think that was the key. I raised my level. I didn’t make any silly mistakes—or not too many.”
Rybakina never recovered from losing the opener. Mertens grew in confidence with every game, mixing clever angles, deft touch, and rock-solid defence to completely dismantle the Kazakh’s rhythm. A run of nine consecutive points in the second set blew the contest apart, and Mertens sealed the win with an ace.
It was only Mertens’ second victory over Rybakina in nine career meetings. The two-time Wimbledon doubles champion will now face Marie Bouzková for a place in the quarterfinals.
For Rybakina, the defeat continues a surprising slide at the All England Club. After lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2022, she has now failed to progress beyond the third round in her past two appearances. Her defeat also guarantees that Aryna Sabalenka will remain world No. 1 after the Championships.
With the defending champion gone and the second seed joining her on the sidelines, the wide-open bottom half of the draw has created a golden opportunity for a new Wimbledon story to unfold.
