Filipino top seed Alexandra Eala ruled the Birmingham Open after beating fifth seed Czech Nikola Bartunkova 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 , Sunday night at Edgbaston Priory Club in the United Kingdom.
The World No. 37 secured her second WTA 125 title after the 2025 Guadalajara Open in Mexico and first on grasscourt.
“It was a really tight moment and I knew that if I didn’t go for it, Nikki would go for it,” Eala said of the break points she faced in the final game before winning the title. “It’s one of those days where a little bit of luck and intention was what got me through.”
Eala teamed up with Bartunkova in the doubles where they lost to No. 2 British pair Dart Harriet and Maia Lumsden, 4-6, 6-2, 11-9, in the first round.
Eala defeated Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to reach the championship round.
In the quarterfinal, she downed Thai Mananchaya Sawangkaew, 6-3, 6-2.
Eala also beat Sawangkaew, 6-1, 6-2, in the final of the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last December, ending the Philippines’ 26-year gold medal drought in women’s singles.
Eala’s other victories were over Australian Priscilla Hon, 6-0, 6-2 (Round of 32) and Russian Alina Charaeva, 6-2, 7-5 (Round of 16).
Meanwhile, World No. 69 Bartunkova turned back Dart (3-6, 6-3, 7-5) in the first round; compatriot Gabriela Knutson, 6-4, 7-6 (4), in the second round; British Mika Stojsavljevic, 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(4), in the quarters; and American Ashlyn Krueger, 6-4, 7-6(7) in the semis. (PNA)
