Tough 2nd-round assignment awaits Eala in Ningbo Open

Sports

ALEX Eala is in for a tough assignment in the second round of the Ningbo Open in China.

The world No. 20 Eala will be taking on Diana Shnaider, a 22-year-old Russian with five singles titles who made it to the French Open semifinals this year.

The 21-year-old Eala has one singles title.

Shnaider, seeded sixth in the tournament, earned the right to face Eala after defeating Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva in the first round, 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Shnaider is currently ranked 13th and went as high as 11 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings. Eala’s career-high ranking is 18.

Eala earned a spot in the second round after France’s Diane Parry, 6-3, 6-1, last Monday.

The victory was a huge relief for Eala after she suffered three straight upset losses, bowing to world No. 117 Tatiana Prozorova in Singapore, no. 85 Wang Xiyu at the Asian Games, and 217th-ranked Shi Han at the Wuhan Open.

The Eala-Shnaider match is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22. The winner in the match will advance to the quarterfinal round slated Friday, Oct. 23.(CCM)