Swiatek is already preparing for the challenge of Eala: "We have already played, but on grass it will be even harder"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 2 Jul 2026 | 17.58

"Swiatek is already preparing for the challenge of Gauff: 'We have already played, but on grass it will be even more difficult'"

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Iga Swiatek went from maximum suffering against Taylor Townsend to total control against Karolina Pliskova. The defending champion of Wimbledon displayed a better version against the Czech player, without the nerves of her debut, rediscovering her tennis to secure a comfortable victory of 6-1, 6-3. However, in the third round, she will face the Filipino phenomenon: Alexandra Eala.

In fact, the 21-year-old made herself known to the world when she defeated the Polish player in the quarterfinals of last year's Miami Open against all odds. Although the player from Warsaw took revenge a few weeks later at the Mutua Madrid Open. As their head-to-head record shows a tie, the showdown between them appears to be more than interesting. This is how Swiatek herself expressed it in the press conference following her victory.

Swiatek on the "challenge" of facing Eala at Wimbledon 2026

"I don't know much about her game on grass. Obviously, I can watch a bit. I know how she plays because we have played before. She has a tricky game. I can assume that on grass it will be even more challenging due to the surface. Surely she will use her strengths, the change of pace and all that. I will prepare and be ready. But it will be a good challenge for me because, yes, it doesn't give you that rhythm. I will have to be prepared for different types of shots."

Swiatek explains the reasons behind her resounding victory over Pliskova

"I am happy with how I played. I was quite solid, focused, and consistent throughout the match, which makes me happy. I really cannot compare these matches because they were obviously against different opponents, different playing styles. I think today there was more rhythm. Taylor played a much more challenging match, so sometimes it was harder to adapt to that."

20 - Iga Swiatek is the fifth currently active player to claim 20+ wins at all four Women’s Singles Grand Slam events, along with Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina, and Madison Keys. Indifferent. #Wimbledon | @Wimbledon @WTA pic.twitter.com/2FBWtsvfVR
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) July 2, 2026

"Today I think the conditions were what needed to be taken into account. I felt I was more efficient and solid. I didn't make as many unforced errors. I used my momentum and confidence to keep it up until the end of the match. With Taylor, obviously, in the second set, my level dropped a bit. So different matches, different stories."

Swiatek explains the differences in today's Wimbledon grass compared to ten years ago

"The grass has changed. Not only do flat hitters win here because the ball also stays a bit more in the air after the bounce. It doesn't slide as much as it did ten years ago. I guess there is more room for topspin players to be solid and have longer rallies. Obviously, I don't mind that."

"For me, balance essentially depends on my decisions because in the past few months, most of the matches I lost were played too fast and risky. I feel it has more to do with me than with the surface or conditions," says Iga Swiatek, who gradually gains momentum in Wimbledon 2026.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek ya se prepara para el desafío de Eala: "Ya hemos jugado, pero en hierba será aún más difícil"

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