Alexandra Eala will be keen to bounce back in Ningbo this week, having endured a torrid recent run of form.
Ever since reaching the fourth round at the US Open, she has suffered back-to-back opening-round defeats at WTA Tour-level events, which came either side of an underperformance at the Asian Games.
Based on ranking, she should have strolled to the gold medal, but was instead forced to leave with only bronze.
The Ningbo Open boasts a stacked roster this year, with Eala suffering from a nightmare draw. Even her first-round match against Diane Parry represents an arduous opening task.
However, despite recent struggles, she remains confident that she is trending in the right direction.
Alex Eala discusses her growth ahead of the Ningbo Open
Speaking at her press conference, she began with her assessment of Ningbo and how it has changed since her last appearance.
The youngster admitted: “I am super excited. I think things have changed quite a bit since I was here last time, for the better. And yeah, I’m really excited!”
Alexandra Eala then touched on her personal growth, having endured a tough run of form ever since her historic US Open performance.
She added: “Well, I think it adds to the motivation, for sure. And, you know, it’s a learning process. It’s a learning process.
‘I’m thankfully experiencing so many new things, so as I experience, of course I learn and try to be a better player, try to be a better person, and yeah, like I said, take it step by step.
“I think when I’m able to focus on my work, especially on court, and that I’m able to compartmentalise and really prioritise what needs to be on top.”
What happened the last time Alex Eala played at the Ningbo Open?
It has been two years since Eala last featured here in Ningbo, having last played at the 2024 iteration of the event.
For the organisers, it seemed like a nightmare tournament given all the late withdrawals they suffered.
All of the top three seeds were absent, with Jasmine Paolini, Qinwen Zheng and Emma Navarro unable to play. However, this provided a huge opportunity for plenty, including Mirra Andreeva and Katie Boulter.
In the end, it was Daria Kasatkina who took home the title, with Eala nowhere to be found.
That is because she actually suffered a defeat in the qualifying rounds, comfortably beaten by Priscilla Hon.
The Filipina star also played doubles, and enjoyed a walkover through their opening-round match before losing to the number four seeds Alexandra Panova and Giuliana Olmos.