Alex Eala continued her impressive grass-court surge by overcoming Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, in a rain-interrupted semifinal battle to book a ticket to the championship of the WTA 125 Lexus Birmingham Open.
Alex Eala Dominates Early Behind Aggressive Start
Coming off straight-set victories in her first three matches of the tournament, Eala entered the semifinal full of confidence and immediately imposed her game on Masarova.
Knowing the Swiss qualifier possessed one of the stronger serves in the draw, Eala focused on neutralizing that weapon from the outset. The strategy paid immediate dividends as she secured an early break and raced to a commanding 3-0 advantage in the opening set.
The world No. 37 controlled rallies from the baseline and consistently pressured Masarova’s service games. While the Swiss eventually got on the scoreboard, the Filipina never allowed her opponent to establish any rhythm.
The 21-year-old maintained her aggressive approach and wrapped up the first set in just 29 minutes, putting herself halfway to the final.
Masarova Fights Back to Force a Decider
The second set presented a completely different challenge.
Masarova elevated her level considerably, finding success behind her serve and producing 5 aces during the frame. After both players remained level early, the Swiss broke away from a 2-2 deadlock and built a 4-2 advantage.
Eala attempted to claw her way back into the set and stayed within striking distance after holding serve to narrow the gap. However, a missed opportunity in the eighth game allowed Masarova to maintain control.
The Swiss remained steady under pressure and served out the set in the 10th game, claiming a 6-4 scorecard and handing Eala her first lost set of the tournament.
For the first time in her grass-court singles campaign, the Rafa Nadal Academy alumna was forced into a deciding set.
Multiple Rain Interruptions Add Drama to Decisive Third Set
Alex Eala quickly regrouped after dropping the second frame and made a strong start to the decider.
She captured the opening two games before Masarova responded and leveled the set at 2-2. The semifinal then evolved into a tense battle of momentum as both players searched for a breakthrough.
After Eala held serve to move ahead 3-2, rain began to fall over Centre Court at the Edgbaston Priory Club, forcing officials to suspend play for the first time.
When the match resumed, Eala immediately regained her focus. She battled through multiple deuces to break Masarova’s serve and extend her lead to 4-2 before holding serve for a crucial 5-2 advantage.
Just as the Filipina moved within one game of victory, the bad weather intervened yet again.
A second rain delay halted the match for more than two hours, creating yet another challenge for both players.
Alex Eala Holds Her Nerve to Secure Finals Berth
Despite the lengthy interruption, Eala returned to the court determined to finish the job.
Masarova refused to surrender and managed to hold serve after the restart, trimming the deficit to 5-3 and forcing Eala to serve for the match.
The Swiss continued to apply pressure, and Eala briefly found herself trailing 15-30 in the decisive ninth game. But the Filipina responded with the poise of a seasoned veteran.
She forced deuce, then relied on her forehand to wrestle back control of the rally exchanges. Consecutive errors from Masarova eventually handed Eala the victory after a hard-fought semifinal battle.
The win completed another impressive performance for the tournament’s top seed, who improved her grass-court record for the week and advanced to her first final since capturing the WTA 125 Guadalajara title in 2025.
Championship Match Awaits Against Doubles Partner
The victory sends Alex Eala into the Birmingham Open final, where she will face an unexpected familiar opponent in Czech youngster Nikola Bartunkova.
Bartunkova served as Eala’s doubles partner earlier in the week before the pair suffered an early exit from the doubles draw, losing to Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden.
The path of the Quezon City native featured wins against Priscilla Hon, Alina Charaeva, and Mananchaya Sawangkaew.
The finals matchup presents Alex Eala an opportunity to claim the second WTA 125 title of her career and cap off a remarkable turnaround after ending her clay-court season with consecutive defeats in Strasbourg and Roland Garros.
