Filipina tennis star Alex Eala captured the first grass-court championship of her professional career on Sunday, defeating her doubles partner Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic in a hard-fought battle, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, at the Birmingham Open final.
After dropping a closely contested opening set, Eala rallied back strongly in the second set, building a commanding 5-2 lead before forcing a decider.
Bartunkova seized early momentum in the final set, but Eala answered by capturing three consecutive games to pull ahead 4-2. The Czech athlete fought back to level the score at 5-5, but a composed Eala locked down the final two games to seal the comeback victory and secure the title.
The triumph places the 20-year-old Filipina alongside tennis royalty, joining the ranks of former Birmingham champions Billie Jean King, Maria Sharapova, and Ash Barty.
“It sounds really beautiful.”
Despite the historic milestone, Eala emphasized that her focus remains entirely on her long-term growth.
“But lifting this trophy does not mean that I will be among the greats yet, so I’m motivated to keep working, and I’m grateful for the part that this trophy has played in my journey.”
Eala also expressed her gratitude to her support system, acknowledging the local and Filipino fans who rallied behind her throughout the tournament.
The Birmingham crown marks Eala’s second career WTA 125 singles title, following her maiden breakthrough in Guadalajara last year.
Eala will immediately shift her focus to London for the HSBC Championships. She is slated to face China’s Shuai Zhang in the opening round on Tuesday, June 9 (Philippine time), as she builds momentum ahead of Wimbledon.