Alex Eala is up and running at the Ningbo Open, where she has stormed into the second round.
Unseeded at the WTA 500 tournament in China, Eala beat Diane Parry 6-3, 6-1 after one hour and 17 minutes. They met in the first round of the Ningbo Open, which also features the likes of world number one Elena Rybakina and Marta Kostyuk, who is battling for a place at the WTA Finals.
Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Ningbo Open after ending her season early, which has opened up the draw for Eala and many others. Next up, however, the Filipina superstar faces a very tricky battle against fellow youngster Diana Shnaider.
Who is Alex Eala’s next opponent at the Ningbo Open?
Eala and Shnaider have yet to meet in their WTA careers so far, and so the opening stages of their match should be intriguing to follow. But the Filipina will be well aware of just how talented her Russian counterpart is.
Shnaider is only 22, but she already boasts five WTA titles and a career-high rank of 11. She currently ranks 13th, seven places ahead of one-time WTA champion Eala in 20th. Shnaider enjoyed her best-ever Grand Slam finish earlier this year, making it all the way to the semifinals of the French Open before losing to Maja Chwalinska. That epic run included wins over world number one Aryna Sabalenka and 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
| Year | Titles | Tournaments |
| 2025 | 1 | Monterrey |
| 2024 | 4 | Hong Kong, Budapest, Bad Homburg, Hua Hin |
The Russian is also a hugely talented doubles player, claiming three titles in the format, along with a career-high rank of eighth. And despite her youth, she has also enjoyed significant doubles success at the Olympics. Playing alongside Mirra Andreeva, Shnaider claimed the silver medal in Paris in 2024, having lost to Italian stars Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani in the gold-medal match.
Incidentally, a reunion with Paolini is on the cards for Shnaider at the Ningbo Open. The Italian takes on Iva Jovic in the round of 16, with the victor facing the winner of the match between the Russian and Eala in the quarterfinals. Top seed Rybakina represents a possible semifinal opponent in China.