Wimbledon’s women’s singles has descended into chaos after three of the biggest names in tennis — defending champion Iga Swiatek, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and former winner Elena Rybakina — all crashed out before the fourth round.
Swiatek, who thrashed Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 in last year’s final to win her sixth grand slam title, fell to the 29th seed Alexandra Eala on Centre Court. The 21-year-old Filipina dropped to the floor in celebration after earning the biggest win of her career, reaching the fourth round at a grand slam for the first time.
“Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina all exited Wimbledon before the fourth round, ensuring a new women's champion.”
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion who also won the Australian Open this year, exited in the third round for the second straight year, losing to No.25 seed Elise Mertens 7-6 6-1.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka then followed them out on Sunday, beaten by Naomi Osaka 6-2 7-6 in a blockbuster fourth-round clash. Osaka is chasing her first grass-court major, while Sabalenka’s wait for a first Wimbledon title goes on.
The women’s singles looks as open as ever. There have been nine different women’s winners in the past nine editions of this slam, and that trend will continue now all past champions are out.
On the men’s side, reigning champion and top seed Jannik Sinner is gathering form after a slow start. Seventh seed Novak Djokovic, at 39 bidding for a record-breaking 25th grand slam title, remains a possible semi-final opponent for the Italian.
Two wildcards have also reached the last-16 and will play each other on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals: Grigor Dimitrov, a year on from his painful retirement while leading eventual champion Sinner, and Britain’s Arthur Fery.