Eala Overcomes Masarova Challenge to Reach Birmingham Open Final

Alex Eala continued her impressive grass-court form, edging past Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to secure a spot in the final of the 2026 Lexus Birmingham Open on Saturday evening (Manila time) at the Edgbaston Priory Club in England.

Returning to Centre Court less than 24 hours after her quarterfinal win over Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew, the top-seeded Filipina faced a stern test but demonstrated increasing comfort on the grass surface, which has often demanded tactical adjustments.

Eala’s strategy focused on disrupting Masarova’s rhythm and limiting the Swiss player’s serve. The plan worked early, as Eala broke in the second game to take a 3-0 lead and dictate the pace, closing the first set in 29 minutes.

The second set saw a momentum shift, with Masarova, ranked No. 132, elevating her game. She fired five aces and capitalized on a brief dip from Eala to claim the set 6-4 after a 2-2 deadlock, forcing a decisive third set.

In the final set, Eala quickly took a 2-0 lead, only for Masarova to level at 2-2. The Filipino responded to go ahead 3-2, but rain delays briefly interrupted the match. Despite the disruptions, Eala maintained her composure, extending her lead to 5-2 before another pause and eventually closing out the match in the ninth game.

Eala will face a familiar opponent in the final—fifth seed Nikola Bartunkova of the Czech Republic, her doubles partner during the tournament, setting up an intriguing championship showdown.