Alex Eala back in action as she begins her grass-court season with the doubles tiff at Birmingham Open.
Alex Eala starts her grass-court season on Monday night (Manila time), as she pairs with Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova in women’s doubles at the Lexus Birmingham Open, taking on the formidable tandem of Ellen Perez and Storm Hunter.
Eala, coming off a second-round finish in women’s doubles at the French Open, is looking to build on that momentum alongside Masarova, a 25-year-old who previously reached world no. 125 in the WTA doubles rankings and won a Challenger-level title in Valencia back in 2022.
But the Filipina-Swiss duo will have their hands full against the more seasoned and familiar pairing of Perez and Hunter.
The Australians have played four consecutive tournaments together, including Roland Garros, where they suffered an early exit but remain one of the most experienced pairings on tour.
Hunter is a former world no. 1 in women’s doubles, while Perez peaked at world no. 7.
While Eala and Masarova are still finding chemistry, the match offers an early and valuable test on grass—against elite competition that could set the tone for the rest of their campaign.
(With reports from Luisa Morales)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]