Alex Eala faces Charaeva in second round of Lexus Birmingham Open

BETTER, fiercer, wiser.

Alexandra “Alex” Eala is liking her chances on the fancied grass court with a better version of herself after an emphatic opening act in the WTA 125 Lexus Birmingham Open in England.

“I think I have arrived in a much improved state than where I was last year so I’m happy about that and I’m excited for what the season holds,” Ms. Eala declared on the Lawn Tennis Association Britain website ahead of the Birmingham second round on Thursday against a familiar opponent in Alina Charaeva of Russia.

The top-seeded Ms. Eala, fresh from a roller-coaster campaign on clay, looked impressive on her grass court transition with a massive 6-0, 6-2 season debut against Australia’s Priscilla Hon, WTA No. 143.

Ms. Eala, WTA No. 37, needed only 59 minutes to score the win and arrange another duel against Ms. Charaeva, WTA No. 130, after the former’s 6-1, 6-2 win in the historic Philippine Women’s Open earlier this year in Manila.

“I think it was a great match against Priscilla. I put in a good performance as well, especially with it being my first match on grass. I’m really happy. Priscilla is a great player. This is definitely a good feeling (entering Round 2),” she said.

Ms. Eala and Ms. Charaeva are 1-1 in head-to-head duels with the 24-year-old Ms. Charaeva drawing first blood in their first duel in the 2020 ITF Spain, 6-3, 6-3, during their junior days.

The 21-year-old Filipina is looking for her first deep run this season in Birmingham albeit she and partner Nikola Bartunkova of Czechia already absorbed a 4-6, 6-2, 9-11 doubles defeat against the second-seeded British pair of Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden, in the same tournament.

The Birmingham Open, a 125-level tour, is part of Ms. Eala’s buildup for Wimbledon on June 29 to July 12 in London and WTA 500 Bad Homburg Open on June 21 to 27 in Germany.

According to the Tennis Channel, Ms. Eala is reportedly slated for a historic doubles team-up with former world No. 1 Venus Williams of the United States in Germany albeit the official player list has yet to be released.

Earlier this year, Ms. Eala teamed up with American friend Iva Jovic (WTA No. 17) in stunning the 23-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist Ms. Williams, and world No. 7 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, 7-6(9-7), 6-1, in the Round of 16 of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand en route to a Final Four finish. — John Bryan Ulanday