Alex Eala Claims Her First Championship of the Year at the Birmingham Open

As the most high-profile professional Filipina tennis player in the world, Alex Eala has been having an eventful season. With appearances at the French Open, Italian Open, and Madrid Open, among others, in the past few months, Alex has been busy playing her way around the world, with each match, win, and loss contributing to her growth and lessons learned. Her star is undoubtedly on the rise, and once again, she made history not just for herself, but for Philippine tennis and Filipina athletes with her win at the Birmingham Open.

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Alex Eala Wins the Birmingham Open

Recently, Alex Eala was in the United Kingdom for her latest tournament, competing in the Birmingham Open. Played on a grass court, the more than four-decade-old competition saw Alex win match after match as she reached the final round. The moment was an achievement in itself for the Gen Z athlete, as it was the first time she appeared at a finals match this season. However, she was up against stiff competition in Nikola Bartůňková from the Czech Republic.

Notably, Alex had yet to defeat any player from a European country during her professional career, with a 0-12 record against Czech tennis players such as Tereza Valentova at the Qatar Open and Karolina Muchova at the Miami Open. But history didn’t repeat itself, as Alex ultimately defeated Nikola 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 in a tense match that lasted for 2 hours and 37 minutes.  

Not only did Alex win the Birmingham Open title for women’s singles, but she also accomplished a handful of personal and professional achievements along the way. It marked her first-ever win against a Czech Republic player and the first time she’s done so on the WTA Tour, her first championship title of 2026, her first professional title on a grass court, and the second WTA 125 trophy of her career, with her first being at the Guadalajara Open in Mexico in September 2025. As the cherry on top, Alex and Nikola were partners during the women’s doubles tournament, meaning Alex beat her former partner to claim the trophy.

Impressively, this was Alex’s first time participating in the Birmingham Open, and she’s now the reigning champion of the women’s singles title. With the win, the Filipina athlete, who’s currently ranked No. 37 in the world, joined the likes of tennis icons such as Billie Jean King and Maria Sharapova, who have also won the Birmingham Open.

Speaking after the match, Alex noted the honorable association but, in a sign of her humility, added that she still needs to put in the work to be considered a legend in the sport. “[L]ifting 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.”

With a fresh championship win to add to her trophy closet, Alex Eala is already heading to her next bout as she’s set to compete in the Queen’s Club Championships, which is the sister tournament of the Birmingham Open, this June. Once again, Alex is raising the country’s pride in every corner of the world as she continues to make a name for herself in the sport.

Featured Image and Photos: LTA