The top three seeds in women’s tennis bowed out of the Wimbledon Championships after suffering defeats in their respective matches, ensuring that a new champion will be crowned this year.
Defending champion and World No. 3 Iga Swiatek was dethroned by Filipina rising star Alex Eala in the third round, 7-6(9), 6-2.
Following the upset, Swiatek admitted her struggles, saying, “I don’t care anymore about the results,” as she is projected to drop from No. 3 to No. 6 in the world rankings.
“I don’t have good results, so I’m not going to expect for myself good results because they’re not just happening. I’m not on that level yet. I need to work from the beginning and try to just get my tennis better,” she added.
With the win, Eala advances to the Round of 16, where she will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
World No. 2 Elena Rybakina also exited in the third round after falling to Elise Mertens, 7-6(7/4), 6-1.
“I just try to move on. I mean, I lost so many times. I’m sure I’m still going to keep losing. It’s impossible to win everything,” Rybakina said in an interview.
Mertens, meanwhile, advances to face World No. 21 Marie Bouzkova.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka was the latest to fall, stunned by Japan’s Naomi Osaka, 6-7, 7-6(2), on Centre Court.
A visibly disappointed Sabalenka said, “Let’s just look at the ranking. Right now I’m world number one. Level-wise, today I wasn’t world number one. Yesterday I was world number one. I feel like I just don’t even want to think about rankings at this point. I just want to go, get completely drunk, forget about tennis and try to get in better shape.”
Meanwhile, Osaka is set to face Karolina Muchova in the fourth round on July 7. — Photo from WTA
