Filipino tennis player Alex Eala advanced to her first final of the season after defeating Switzerland's Rebeka Masarova in the semifinal of the Birmingham Open WTA 125 tournament past midnight on Sunday, Manila time.
The top-seeded Eala secured a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory in a match prolonged by intense competition and multiple rain delays that triggered suspensions lasting for hours.
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Eala faced her first major obstacle of the tournament after winning her opening three matches in straight sets, ultimately forcing consecutive errors from Masarova at deuce in the final set to clinch the match.
"Really happy with the win today. It was such a great experience," said Eala.
The victory came after Masarova launched a comeback following Eala's dominant first set, pushing the match into an extended battle.
"It was such a tough battle today. You'll never know what's gonna happen.
Rebeka played really well, and she put me in tough spots," added Eala.
The match faced its second weather suspension while Eala held a 5-2 lead in the deciding set, forcing the athletes to wait out the storm.
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"I tried to relax. You never fully let go when it's a rain delay," said Eala.
Following the resumption of play, Masarova claimed the eighth game and mounted a rally, but Eala maintained composure to secure her spot in the championship round.
The 21-year-old Eala will next face Czech player Nikola Bartunkova, who was her doubles partner earlier in the week before their first-round elimination on Monday.
"Reaching the final is a physical feat. I'm feeling good.
I think today was a great test and I'll be ready for tomorrow," said Eala.
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Eala enters the final seeking to overcome a 0-13 historic record against Czech opponents since launching her professional tennis career in 2020.
