Alex Eala reached her first WTA Tour final at the Eastbourne Open after defeating Varvara Gracheva in the semifinals.
Eala, competing in Eastbourne, United Kingdom, won with scores of 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 on Friday.
This victory marks Eala as the first Filipina to advance to a WTA final. Both players were qualifiers in this tournament.
Eala’s performance included overcoming a second-set loss to secure her place in the final.
Earlier in the year, she advanced to the Miami semifinals by defeating three Grand Slam champions. Eala will now compete for the title in Eastbourne’s championship round.
The Eastbourne Open is part of the WTA Tour, which features numerous international tennis players. Eala’s participation in this prestigious tournament highlights her growing presence in professional tennis.