Filipina tennis star Alex Eala made a powerful statement in her premier role at the Birmingham Open, defeating Australian Priscilla Hon 6-0, 6-2 on Tuesday evening, June 2, 2026 (Philippine time), in England.
Dominant Performance on Grass
Eala, who entered the tournament as the top seed and world No. 37, needed only 30 minutes to complete the first set. She continued her dominance in the second set, building a 5-0 lead before Hon managed to register her only two points of the match.
"I think I'm really happy with my performance. It's a really good win considering it's my first match on grass and obviously she's a great player so I'm really happy with the win," said Eala, as quoted on ABS-CBN News.
She added: "I think just give myself grace while also giving my all every single time that I can. I think I've arrived in a much improved state than I did last year so I'm happy about that and I'm excited for what this season holds."
Head-to-Head Record Improves
With this victory, Eala now leads their head-to-head record 2-1. This marks her first win against Hon on grass, as their previous two encounters were played on hard courts.
The impressive win is expected to boost the 21-year-old's confidence for upcoming tournaments. "I'm joining a lot of tournaments that are higher in level and tournaments I haven't been to before so it's really exciting," Eala explained.
Next Round Opponent
Eala will face Russian Alina Charaeva in the second round of the Birmingham Open.
