By GMA News Published June 5, 2026 9:30pm + Add GMA on Google Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google. Alex Eala reacts after a point as she plays against Iva Jovic during their singles match on day 3 of the French Open at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 26, 2026. Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP 42 mins ago View key events Auto-refresh Alex Eala set for rematch vs. SEA Games finals foe in Birmingham QFs Alex Eala locks horns with Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Birmingham Open on Friday. Eala carries a lot of momentum from her back-to-back sweep victories in the first two rounds. Round of 32: Eala def. Priscilla Hon, 6-0, 6-2 Round of 16: Eala def. Alina Charaeva, 6-2, 7-5 But a familiar face stands in the way of the 21-year-old Filipina tennis star in Sawangkaew, whom Eala defeated in straight sets to capture he first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold medal last December. 42 mins ago Copied! Who is Mananchaya Sawangkaew? Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew walks off the court after her women’s singles match against Britain’s Emma Raducanu on day one of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 18, 2026. Photo: DAVID GRAY / AFP Sawangkaew is quietly establishing herself as one of Southeast Asia's promising tennis players. She is currently ranked no. 173 in the world and reached her career-high of no. 100 in June last year. But Sawangkaew isn't exactly a new face for Eala. Just last December, the two Southeast Asian talents disputed the SEA Games gold medal in Thailand, where Eala pulled off a 6-1, 6-2 victory to claim her maiden title in the biennial meet. Before that, Eala and Sawangkaew also met during the 2024 Takasaki Open in Japan. However, the Thai star emerged victorious at the time, grinding out a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win in the quarterfinals to oust Eala and advance to the next round. Read more about Sawangkaew here: 42 mins ago Copied! Look back on Eala's season Clay-court swing French Open (Grand Slam) — Round of 128 Italian Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 32 Madrid Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 64 Stuttgart Open (WTA 500) — Round of 32 Linz Open (WTA 500) — Round of 16 Sunshine Swing Miami Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 16 Indian Wells Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 16 Middle East Swing Dubai Tennis Championships (WTA 1000) — Quarterfinals Qatar Open (WTA 1000) — Round of 64 Abu Dhabi Open (WTA 500) — Quarterfinals Philippine Women’s Open (WTA 125) — Quarterfinals Australian Swing Australian Open (Grand Slam) — Round of 128 ASB Classic (WTA 250) — Semifinals 42 mins ago Copied! Alex Eala set for rematch vs. SEA Games finals foe in Birmingham QFs Alex Eala locks horns with Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Birmingham Open on Friday. Eala carries a lot of momentum from her back-to-back sweep victories in the first two rounds. Round of 32: Eala def. Priscilla Hon, 6-0, 6-2 Round of 16: Eala def. Alina Charaeva, 6-2, 7-5 But a familiar face stands in the way of the 21-year-old Filipina tennis star in Sawangkaew, whom Eala defeated in straight sets to capture he first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold medal last December.