Swiatek, Rybakina fall in Wimbledon 3rd-round upsets
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- Iga Swiatek's Wimbledon title defense ended Saturday with a 7-6 (9), 6-2 third-round loss to 21-year-old Alexandra Eala
- Eala became the first Filipino player, man or woman, to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles tournament
- Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and No. 2 seed, was upset by Elise Mertens 7-6 (4), 6-1 in the third round, making her the highest seed eliminated on the women's side
- Rybakina's exit guarantees Aryna Sabalenka will keep the No. 1 ranking after the tournament
- Sabalenka faces Naomi Osaka in the fourth round Sunday, while Belgium's No. 25 seed Mertens has two prior Wimbledon doubles titles
Why it matters: The combined exits of defending champion Swiatek and No. 2 seed Rybakina before the second week mean a first-time Wimbledon women's champion will be crowned. Rybakina's loss specifically locks in Sabalenka's No. 1 ranking through the tournament.
