BIRMINGHAM, England — Alexandra Eala of the Philippines advanced to the final of the 2026 Lexus Birmingham Open on Saturday, defeating Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova in a hard-fought three-set semifinal, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, at the Edgbaston Priory Club.
The world No. 37 and tournament top seed overcame a stiff challenge from the Swiss to book a spot in the championship match, continuing her impressive run on the grass courts of England.
Eala opened the match with authority, breaking Masarova’s serve in the second game to build an early 3-0 lead and never relinquishing control of the first set. Masarova, a powerful server known for her aggressive baseline play, struggled to find her rhythm as Eala dictated play from the opening exchanges, closing out the frame 6-2.
The second set told a different story. Masarova adjusted her tactics, leaning on her serve and capitalizing on a slight dip in Eala’s level to claw back the set 6-4 and force a deciding third.
But the 21-year-old Filipina refused to wilt. She regrouped with characteristic resilience in the third set, breaking early and maintaining her advantage to seal the match 6-3 and punch her ticket to the final.
The victory came less than 18 hours after Eala dispatched Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals — a punishing schedule she navigated with composure.
“It will be a tough match. She is very skillful and very powerful, so I’ll do my best to recover tonight and give my all,” Eala had said ahead of the semifinal. She appeared to deliver on that promise.
The win extended an already impressive week for Eala, who opened the tournament with a dominant 6-0, 6-2 demolition of Priscilla Hon before defeating Russia’s Alina Charaeva 6-2, 7-5 in the round of 16, rallying from a 2-5 deficit in the second set.
Eala’s run to the final comes just days after a first-round exit at the French Open at the hands of American Iva Jovic, signaling a swift and emphatic return to form on the surface transition to grass.
The Birmingham Open is a WTA 125 event — one tier below the main WTA Tour — but Eala’s dominant performance throughout the week has underlined her growing stature on the professional circuit.
She will now await her opponent in Sunday’s final, where she will bid for the title and what would be a significant milestone in her burgeoning career.
