Alexandra Eala named WTA Star of the Swing after stunning grass-court run

Alexandra Eala has been voted the WTA’s Star of the Swing for the grass-court season after an impressive five-week run that transformed her season.

The 21-year-old Filipino star secured nearly 90% of the fan vote, finishing ahead of Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova and runner-up Karolina Muchova.

Eala’s remarkable grass-court campaign began at the Lexus Birmingham Open, where she battled through a rain-disrupted week to win her second WTA 125 title. She continued her fine form at the WTA 500 event in Berlin, reaching the semi-finals.

However, it was at Wimbledon where Eala truly made her mark.

Seeded No. 29, Eala became the first Filipino singles player in the Open Era to reach the second week of a Grand Slam. Her biggest moment came in the third round on Centre Court, where she stunned defending champion Iga Swiatek 7-6(9), 6-2 in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. The victory was also highlighted by a spectacular diving shot that quickly went viral.

Eala’s run eventually ended in the Round of 16, where she suffered a three-set defeat to Jasmine Paolini. Despite the loss, her outstanding five-week stretch propelled her to a career-high No. 28 in the WTA rankings.

Eala will now turn her attention to the hard-court season. She is set to compete at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., beginning July 27, before featuring in the WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati. She will then head to New York for the US Open.