Alex Eala crushes Priscilla Hon to start Birmingham Open run in style

Alex Eala dismantled Australia's Priscilla Hon with a smashing 6-0, 6-2 victory to launch her 2026 Birmingham Open campaign on Tuesday at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

The 21-year-old Pinay dominated from start to finish, nearly preventing her 28-year-old opponent from securing a single game. Eala led 6-0, 5-0 before Hon was able to win a game and get on the board.

Alex Eala starts the grass season with a WIN 😎

She gets a 6-0, 6-2 opening round victory over Priscilla Hon at the Lexus Birmingham Open! pic.twitter.com/Y5ZejfvmFS

— LTA (@the_LTA) June 2, 2026

Eala now moves to the Round of 16 where she will face either Greet Minnen or Alina Charaeva.

Eala capitalized on a string of errors from Hon, who committed two consecutive miscues that allowed the Filipina to wrap up the opening set with ease, 6-0.

Eala carried that momentum into the second set, firing a blistering forehand winner to move ahead 40-30 in the fifth game. Hon followed with another unforced error, allowing the Filipina to secure the break and seize a commanding 5-0 lead.

But Hon took the next two games to remain in contention.

Eala raced to an early 30-15 lead in the sixth game, but three straight errors allowed Hon to break through at 5-1. Eala reached match point in the following game, 40-30, but three consecutive errors from the Pinay star allowed Hon to win two straight games, 5-2.

Eala made sure there would be no comeback, racing to a 30-0 lead in the following game behind another forehand winner before sealing the match with a crisp two-handed backhand winner.

Eala has already surpassed her showing at last year's Birmingham Open, where she entered as the third seed but suffered a Round of 32 exit at the hands of Linda Fruhvirtova.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News