Alexandra Eala has learned her possible opponents at the Ningbo Open after the draw for the WTA 500 tournament was confirmed.
The Filipina superstar is playing for the first time since the Wuhan Open, where Eala lost to qualifier Shi Han in her opening match. She also lost her first match at the Singapore Open last month, but was able to claim a bronze medal for her nation at the Asian Games shortly after.
Eala now continues her exciting 2026 WTA season at the Ningbo Open, where she will start in the first round. The high-quality field includes the likes of world number one Elena Rybakina and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.
Alexandra Eala’s possible path to the Ningbo Open title
Eala is unseeded at the Ningbo Open, where she has been drawn against Diane Parry in the round of 32. Should she win that encounter, Russian ace Diana Shnaider or a qualifier will await in the round of 16.
Eala could then face a very tough possible quarterfinal test against fellow rising star Iva Jovic, or indeed the more experienced Jasmine Paolini. Should she progress, the 21-year-old could then have the unenviable task of playing against top seed Rybakina. And it certainly won’t get any easier after that, with Swiatek representing a possible final opponent.
It’s very clearly not a straightforward draw for Eala, who faces many potential barriers en route to a second career WTA title. She claimed her first earlier this year in Washington, beating several world-class players along the way, including Jessica Pegula in the final.
Who is Alexandra Eala’s Ningbo round one opponent Diane Parry?
While Eala fans will be getting very excited about the thought of another WTA title, or at least some blockbuster clashes, she certainly won’t have it easy against Parry. The 24-year-old from France is currently 32nd in the rankings, and like Eala claimed her maiden title earlier this year.
Parry emerged victorious in Monterrey, where she beat the likes of Donna Vekic, Clara Tauson, Ann Li and second seed Elise Mertens en route to the title. She has a career-high rank of 30, with a career win-loss record of 253-205 heading into Ningbo. Parry is also enduring a difficult run of form, having lost her last four matches.