Top-seeded Filipina tennis star Alex Eala put on a dominant performance at the 2026 Birmingham Open, sweeping past Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to secure her spot in the tournament’s final four.
The world No. 37 controlled the pace of the quarterfinal match from the outset. Eala took the opening set in 48 minutes, showcasing sharp baseline play and converting critical breakpoints. She carried that momentum cleanly into the second set, breaking Sawangkaew to take a commanding 4-2 lead before closing out the match. The victory allowed Eala to avenge a previous career loss to the Thai player and level their head-to-head record at 1-1.
OUTSTANDING Alex Eala in Birmingham 🤯#LexusBirminghamOpen pic.twitter.com/wc0pEiLoMo
— LTA (@the_LTA) June 4, 2026
With this commanding win, Eala advances to the semifinals of the WTA 125 event. Up next, she will face Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova as she continues her strong push for the grass-court title.
Source: Olympics
