Alex Eala v Iga Swiatek: Former British No 1 gives his verdict on Wimbledon showdown
Alex Eala has booked a re-match with defending champion Iga Swiatek after she moved into the third round at Wimbledon – and former British No 1 Greg Rusedski has suggested her run may not stop here.
Eala’s win against Maya Joint secured her passage to the last-32 at a Grand Slam for the first time, with the Filipina’s confidence growing after a grass court season that saw her lift the title at the Birmingham Open and enjoy a strong run at the WTA 500 tournament in Berlin.
Now Rusedski is backing Eala to test Swiatek, who looked vulnerable and emotional in her opening match against Taylor Townsend.
“It’s a little bit of a toss-up right now. This match is hard to call,” said Rusedski on his podcast.
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“I love those 50-50 matchups and we know probably where the crowd’s gonna be with because Eala is just about the most popular player in women’s tennis.
“This is gonna be one of the hottest tickets in the women’s draw this third round matchup.
“Eala is coming in on the back of good form. She won a title leading in and that gives you lots of confidence.
“She also beat today the player that beat a certain Serena Williams in the first round to get here. It took her three sets, but after losing an opening set. So that is impressive. She managed the nerves, pushed through.
“Now she is into the third round where she plays Iga Swiatek, somebody who she’s practiced with a lot at the Rafael Nadal Academy. So they each know each other’s game very, very well. And she’s beaten Swiatek as well. This is her best surface. So I think this match could go either way.”
Rusedski went on to salute Eala’s focus and dedication to the game, as he suggested her team will ease her rise to the top.
“What I like about her is she’s putting in the work,” he added. “She’s got a great coach behind her. She’s got a good team of people.
“Also, she’s got confidence. When you beat Elena Rybakina and Elana Svitolina (in Berlin), that gives you a lot of self-belief. So she’s on a little bit of a roll right now, you know, and I like the way she can swing or serve, and use the court to her advantage as well.
“The ball stays exactly the right height for her. So it’s going to be interesting to see in this third-round match.
“I’m assuming this has got to be a Centre Court match-up just because it’s gonna be the match-up we all want to see. And I kind of feel like right now is a little bit of distance, destiny possibly for her, because if she was to beat Swiatek, that would be a huge statement.”
“To make her first fourth round of a major. This is the furthest she’s been so far. But for Swiatek, on the other hand, it’s like, okay, look, I’m getting my redemption back.
“I haven’t been where I’ve wanted to be on the court. The results didn’t happen after changing coaches with Francisco Roig at the French Open. And now all of a sudden, maybe it’s the time she steps up. So that’s why this is so intriguing.”
