Eala loses first-round match at Birmingham Open

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala has transitioned from clay courts to grass for her participation in the Birmingham Open in England but experienced an early exit after a tough match against Czech player Linda Fruhvirtová.

Eala lost to Fruhvirtová with a score of 5-7, 7-6(5), 1-6 in a grueling first-round match that lasted nearly three hours on Tuesday (Manila time).

Despite holding her ground in the first two sets and being ranked higher than Fruhvirtová, Eala could not sustain her momentum and absorbed a near shutout in the decisive third set.

Eala also suffered an early exit from the doubles competition, losing alongside Swiss partner Rebeka Masarova to Australia's Ellen Perez and Storm Hunter with a score of 4-6, 4-6 on Monday (Manila time).

Her recent success includes reaching the semifinals at the Miami Open; however, she faced an early defeat in both singles and doubles at the French Open before focusing on grass-court tournaments leading up to Wimbledon, which begins on June 30.