Alex Eala advanced past France's Varvara Gracheva with a gritty 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 triumph in the semifinals of the Eastbourne Open on Thursday. This victory marks the second time this year that Eala has bested Gracheva,

Alex Eala is playing in her maiden WTA Tour final at the Eastbourne Open. Eala takes on Australia's Maya Joint in the final at 8:30 p.m. (Manila time). LIVE: Alex Eala vs Maya Joint

When tennis powers downgraded the storied WTA tournament at Eastbourne, on the south coast of the U.K., fans and business owners in the town feared the consequences. It went from a 500-level event to a 250,