Eala ends Ningbo Open run in round of 16

Alex Eala’s redemption tour at the Ningbo Open ended with a round-of-16 loss to Russia’s Diana Shnaider, 7-5, 6-4, on Oct. 22, 2026, at the Yinzhou Tennis Center in China.

The 21-year-old Filipina ace failed to sustain her momentum after a dominant sweep of Diane Parry in the round of 32 and was outplayed by Shnaider, who closed out both sets with poise under pressure.

Both players delivered consistent service games through the eighth game, as neither was able to take command and dictate the pace.

Deadlocked at 4-all, Shnaider turned the tables with a crucial service break in the ninth game to move within one game of winning the opener, 5-4.

However, Eala broke back to equalize the first set at 5-all, displaying a refined return game to stay alive and extend the set.

The momentum then swung back to Shnaider, who secured another service break in the 11th game before holding serve to end the exhausting first-set slugfest.

Shnaider’s groundstroke consistency gave her the edge in the final two games as she neutralized Eala’s left-handed down-the-line shots by shortening her flat returns into the midcourt.

That forced Eala toward the net and out of her comfort zone in no man’s land. Shnaider concluded the first set with a string of risky slices and timely booming serves to take a 1-0 lead.

Unlike in the first set, when the opening eight games went on serve, a “break party” unfolded in the ensuing frame as both players combined for six consecutive service breaks and a 3-all deadlock.

Eala appeared to have a grip on the set after scoring its first service hold for a 4-3 lead, but Shnaider responded with a 3-0 run to close out the match.

Trailing 15-40 in the final game, Eala kept her comeback hopes alive by saving six match points and forcing a marathon deuce battle, but Shnaider eventually survived and eliminated the Filipina on her seventh match point.

Shnaider capped her victory over Eala with 83 points won, including six service breaks and 39 return points.

Eala, on the other hand, recorded 74 points, one ace, and four service breaks but struggled on serve, winning only 61% of the points behind her first serve.