By Joel Reyes
Alex Eala barged into the quarterfinals of the 2026 Birmingham Open after she defeated Alina Charaeva 6-2, 7-5, in their second-round match on Centre Court on Thursday.
Charaeva looked to be on her way to forcing a decider after she grabbed a 5-2 lead in the second set. Eala came roaring back, though, winning five straight games to finish the match in one hour and 40 minutes.
Next up for the top-seeded Eala is a quarterfinal clash with Mananchaya Sawangkaew, who defeated Kayla Day in the second round.