Irresistible underdog victories: tennis, cricket results and the appeal of ‘Goliath’ upsets

This opinion-style column reflects on why fans find underdog victories compelling across sports. It highlights a tennis upset at Wimbledon where Alexandra Eala defeated the reigning women’s champion Iga Swiatek in straight sets, and notes the rarity of such a breakthrough for a player from the Philippines reaching the latter stage of a Grand Slam.