Alex Eala opened her grass-court season in commanding fashion, overwhelming Australia’s Priscilla Hon 6-0, 6-2 in the first round of the WTA 125 Birmingham Open on Tuesday (PH Time).

The top-seeded Eala needed just one hour to dispatch Hon, ranked No. 143, in a wire-to-wire performance at the Edgbaston Priory Club.

The world No. 37 showed little sign of rust on the new surface, racing through the opening set without dropping a game and maintaining control throughout the second.

The emphatic victory marked a strong rebound for the 19-year-old Filipina after a doubles loss a day earlier, signaling her readiness to contend in her first tournament of the grass season.

Eala broke Hon early and often, dictating play from the baseline while capitalizing on her opponent’s errors. Hon struggled to find rhythm against Eala’s pace and precision, managing just two games in the match.

With the win, Eala advances to the Round of 16, where she will face the winner of the match between Belgium’s Greet Minnen and Russia’s Alina Charaeva.

Eala, the tournament’s top seed, is seeking a strong run on grass as she builds momentum ahead of the summer swing.