Alex Eala made a perfect start to her 2026 grass-court campaign after rallying from a set down to defeat Nikola Bartunkova and claim the Birmingham Open title on Sunday.
The Filipino star prevailed 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 in a two-hour, 38-minute final at the Edgbaston Priory Club to secure her first career title on grass and her second WTA 125 crown.
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Arriving fresh from her Roland Garros campaign, the world number 33 quickly adapted to the surface as she put together an impressive run at the tournament, one of the key warm-up events ahead of Wimbledon.
The 21-year-old dropped just one set before the final and also defeated Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the quarter-finals on her way to the trophy.
The title added to Eala’s encouraging 2026 season, which saw her climb to a career-high ranking of world number 29 in March.
Eala’s next tournament is the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, where she is scheduled to face China’s Zhang Shuai in the opening round on Tuesday, as she continues her preparation for the year’s third Grand Slam.
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The week in Birmingham also brought further success for Southeast Asian tennis, with Indonesia’s Janice Tjen claiming the women’s doubles title alongside Australia’s Talia Gibson.
The top-seeded pair defeated British duo Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden in the final to complete a good week for the region.
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