Alex Eala defeated Alina Charaeva, 6-2, 7-5, in the second round of the Birmingham Open.
The Filipina has yet to drop a set on grass this year, winning her first two matches in Birmingham to reach the quarter-finals.
Eala has a busy grass-court schedule planned for the summer and is going about things the right way, starting at the WTA 125 level.
Is Alex Eala ‘overhyped and overrated’?
Some fans think so…
Following her latest win, Eala delivered her honest verdict on grass courts.
Alex Eala said she ‘really likes grass’ immediately after winning second-round match in Birmingham
“If you ask me after this match, I really like grass!” said Eala.
“But yeah, it definitely takes some getting used to, and England has the weather…
“A bit different. But it all adds up, helps you become a better player.”
Eala was pleased with her performance against Charaeva in Birmingham.
The 21-year-old found herself with work to do in the second set, but kept her composure to secure the win in an hour and 40 minutes.
“I think I’m pleased with my attitude. I was certainly in a tough spot in the second set,” said Eala.
Alex Eala vs Alina Charaeva – Match stats
| Stats | Alex Eala | Alina Charaeva |
| Aces | 3 | 0 |
| Double faults | 1 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 80% | 76% |
| Win % on 1st Serve | 73% | 56% |
| Win % on 2nd Serve | 64% | 43% |
| Break points | 4/9 | 1/3 |
“I’m most pleased that I stayed there, upped my intensity again, and gave myself another chance to do better tomorrow.
“I think I was on the cusp of finding my rhythm, and I trusted myself that even if it went to a third set, I had the level.
“So I tried to make it as complicated for her as possible in the second set.”
Eala will now prepare to take on Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the quarter-finals.
They met late last year at the Southeast Asian Games, where Eala defeated the Thai to take gold.
She’ll want to do the same when they face off for a spot in the Birmingham Open semi-finals.
Could Alex Eala be a threat at Wimbledon?
Eala has limited experience on the grass, but from what we’ve seen, she looks fairly comfortable on the surface.
A year ago, she reached her first career WTA final on the grass, in Eastbourne.
Alex Eala at the 2025 Eastbourne Open
- 1R [WIN] vs Lucia Bronzetti, 6-0, 6-1
- 2R [WIN] vs Jelena Ostapenko, 0-6, 6-2, 3-2 (RET)
- QF [WIN] vs Dayana Yastremska, 6-1, 6-2
- SF [WIN] vs Varvara Gracheva, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
- F [LOSS] vs Maya Joint, 4-6, 6-1, 6-7
Eala narrowly missed out on the title, failing to convert championship points in the deciding set tiebreak, but proved her credentials on the surface.
Gaining more confidence as she plays warm-up events this year, there is no reason why Eala can’t make a run at Wimbledon.
And the good news for Eala is that with every win, she moves a step closer to becoming seeded at the tournament.
Live WTA Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Points |
| 32 | Katerina Siniakova | Czechia | 1,422 |
| 33 | Cristina Bucsa | Spain | 1,406 |
| 34 | Liudmila Samsonova | Russia | 1,405 |
| 35 | Jelena Ostapenko | Latvia | 1,404 |
| 36 | Alex Eala | Philippines | 1,340 |
| 37 | Maria Sakkari | Greece | 1,328 |
| 38 | Jaqueline Cristian | Romania | 1,294 |
| 39 | McCartney Kessler | USA | 1,289 |
| 40 | Janice Tjen | Indonesia | 1,267 |
| 41 | Elisabetta Cocciaretto | Italy | 1,260 |
The top 32 players are seeded at Grand Slams, meaning they avoid their fellow seeds in the first two rounds.
Eala trails the world number 32, Katerina Siniakova, by 82 points.
If she wins the title in Birmingham, that gap will close to just six points.
Being a seed could be the difference maker for Eala at the All England Club this year, and it’s certainly an achievable target.
Taking it one match at a time, Eala will now turn her attention to the Birmingham Open quarter-finals.
She will play Sawangkaew in the quarter-finals on Friday, June 5.
