Alex Eala won her second WTA 125 title at the 2026 Lexus Birmingham Open after beating Czech standout Nikola Bartunkova in a thrilling three-set final, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, on Sunday. And, afterward, a beaming Eala was both proud and grateful for the win—and also measured and grounded.
“I’m so honored to be lifting this trophy today, but lifting this trophy does not mean I will be among the greats yet,” said Eala during the trophy presentation.
Alex Eala Knows There’s a Long Ways to Go
The 2026 Lexus Birmingham Open title adds Alex Eala’s name to a distinguished list of champions that includes Maud Watson, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Maria Sharapova, and Petra Kvitova.
Being mentioned alongside such tennis legends is clearly a humbling experience for Eala. At the same time, she knows that she still has a long way to go before she can even be included in discussions about tennis’ true greats.
“It sounds really beautiful, of course—all those names that you’ve mentioned are tennis greats…so I am motivated to keep on working, and I’m grateful for the part that this trophy played in my journey,” said the Filipina.
At just 21 years old, Eala has already achieved plenty in her young professional career. She reached a career-high ranking of World No. 29, appeared in three WTA finals, and captured two WTA 125 titles in Guadalajara and Birmingham.
Of coures, Alex Eala knows she still has a long ways to go before she reaches that lofty status of being part of the greats.
Giving Nikola Bartunkova Her Flowers
As the Quezon City native defeated her doubles partner, Eala made sure to give Nikola Bartunkova the credit she deserved for showcasing a great finals performance.
“I’d also like to thank Nikola [Bartunkova] for those kind words and, of course, congratulate you for an amazing week,” said Eala.
“And it’s one of those days that I wish we could both win. Of course, this match was incredible, and I think it was anyone’s game,” she added.
Prior to the tournament, the 20-year-old player from the Czech Republic had last played a grass-court tournament back in 2023. At the Lexus Birmingham Open, she was seeded fifth and ended up with a 4-1 record, including a finals runner-up finish.
“So, congratulations, congratulations to your team, and yeah, I’ll see you next week or the week after,” said Eala.
More Grass Tournaments for Alex Eala
The Rafa Nadal Academy alumna now has winning momentum as she continues to compete in multiple grass-court tournaments.
With a prolific beginning to her grass-court season, fans are keeping a close eye on how many more finals trips Alex Eala will make in the next few weeks. Here is her packed schedule:
Alex Eala vs. Shuai Zhang
Tournament: WTA 500 Queen’s Club Championship / The HSBC Championships
Date: June 9 to 14
Category: Singles (Round of 32, Main Draw)
WTA 500 Berlin Tennis Open
Date: June 15 to 21
Category: Singles (Qualifier)
WTA 500 Bad Homburg Open
Date: June 21 to 27
Category: Singles (Main Draw, Round of 32) and Doubles (Main Draw, Round of 16)
Wimbledon Championships Grand Slam
Date: June 29 to July 12
Category: Singles (Main Draw)
