| Photo courtesy of The News Channel
BIRMINGHAM, Great Britain — Filipino tennis star Alex Eala powered into the quarterfinals of the Lexus Birmingham Open, sweeping her first two opponents in straight sets to open her grass‑court season with authority. The 21‑year‑old World No. 37 defeated Australia’s Priscilla Hon, 6–0, 6–2, in the first round, then followed it with a composed 6–2, 7–5 win over Russia’s Alina Charaeva to book a last‑eight berth.
Eala, the tournament’s top seed, is scheduled to face Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the quarterfinals.
Fast Start on Grass
Eala opened her Birmingham campaign with one of her cleanest matches of the season. Against Hon, she dictated from the baseline, firing deep cross‑court forehands that repeatedly pushed the Australian off balance. She broke serve three times in the opening set and never allowed Hon to settle.
Her second‑round match against Charaeva required more patience. After cruising through the first set, Eala fell behind 3–5 in the second as Charaeva began attacking early in rallies. But the Filipina responded with a three‑game surge, breaking twice and sealing the match with a down‑the‑line backhand winner.
“I just tried to stay aggressive and trust my movement on grass,” Eala said in a post‑match interview shared by tournament media. “The surface rewards commitment, so I had to step in and take control of the points.”
Play‑by‑Play Highlights
Versus Priscilla Hon (6–0, 6–2):
- First set: Eala opened with a love hold, then broke Hon at love with a pair of sharply angled returns. She won 12 of the first 14 points, closing the set in just 23 minutes.
- Second set: Hon briefly steadied her serve, but Eala’s return pressure forced errors at 2–2. A forehand winner on break point gave her a 4–2 lead, and she closed the match with a crisp serve‑plus‑one pattern.
Versus Alina Charaeva (6–2, 7–5):
- First set: Eala broke early for 3–1, using heavy topspin to push Charaeva deep.
- Second set: Down 3–5, Eala saved a set point with a bold inside‑out forehand. She then reeled off four straight games, punctuating the comeback with a 108‑mph ace.
Form Coming Into Birmingham
Eala entered the Birmingham Open after a challenging clay stretch. She fell in the first round of Roland Garros to No. 17 seed Iva Jovic, 4–6, 2–6.
Before Paris, she exited early in Strasbourg, losing to Oleksandra Oliynykova in three sets.
Her strongest pre‑Birmingham showing came in Rome, where she reached the third round, defeating Magdalena Frech and No. 31 seed Xinyu Wang before falling to World No. 2 Elena Rybakina.
What’s Next After Birmingham
Should Eala advance past Sawangkaew on Friday, June 5, she will continue her grass‑court preparations ahead of Wimbledon, where she is expected to compete in the main draw. The Birmingham Open traditionally serves as a key tune‑up for players transitioning from clay to grass.
“I’m feeling more confident with each match,” Eala said. “The goal is to peak in London.”
