Alex Eala continued her campaign at the WTA 125 Birmingham Open with a Round of 16 match against Alina Charaeva on Thursday at Center Court. The top-seeded Eala entered the contest on the back of a commanding opening-round win, having defeated Priscilla Hon, 6-0, 6-2, in the Round of 32.
Eala, ranked No. 37 in the WTA rankings, made a strong start to her first grass-court tournament of the season. Against Hon, she controlled the match from the opening game and needed just 22 minutes to claim the first set. Her early dominance set the tone for a straight-set victory completed in less than an hour.
Although Hon, ranked No. 143, offered more resistance in the second set, Eala remained in command for most of the match. The Australian finally broke Eala’s serve after the Filipino player had built a 5-0 lead, then held her next service game to narrow the gap to 5-2. Eala quickly responded with a love hold to seal the win and advance to the next round.
The victory was a confidence boost for Eala, who had dropped her doubles match the day before but rebounded strongly in singles. After the match, she said she was pleased with her performance, noting that it was her first match on grass and describing the result as a good win.
Eala’s run in Birmingham marks an important part of her grass-court preparation as she looks to build momentum in the lead-up to the rest of the season. As the tournament’s top seed, she is among the players expected to make a deep run, and her opening performance suggested she is adapting well to the surface.
The Round of 16 matchup against Charaeva represents her next test in the Birmingham Open, where she will aim to continue her winning form and move one step closer to the title. The scheduled match was listed for 8:30 p.m. on Thursday on Center Court.
Eala’s strong start has drawn attention as she continues to represent the Philippines on the international tennis stage. With her singles campaign off to a dominant beginning, she will now try to maintain her level against a tougher field as the tournament progresses.
