Alex Eala will return to Center Court at the Ningbo Open on Thursday, but Filipino tennis fans will have to wait a little longer than initially expected to watch her face one of the tournament’s top seeds.
Eala’s second-round match against sixth-seeded Diana Shnaider is now tentatively scheduled for 3:20 p.m. Philippine time, according to the updated Tennis.com tournament schedule.
The revised listing represents a two-hour, 20-minute adjustment from the previously projected 1 p.m. start.
For viewers in the United States, the match is listed for approximately 3:20 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, Oct. 22.
The match will again take place on Center Court at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre in Ningbo, China, where Eala began her campaign with a convincing victory Monday.
The starting time remains tentative and could change depending on the length of the preceding matches.
Alex Eala Gets Another Center Court Match at Ningbo Open
Eala’s return to the tournament’s main court comes after an impressive opening-round performance against France’s Diane Parry.
The 21-year-old Filipino defeated the world No. 34, 6-3, 6-1, in just 77 minutes Monday, snapping a three-match losing streak.
After a tightly contested start, Eala seized control by winning seven consecutive games, turning a 3-3 opening set into a commanding 6-3, 4-0 lead.
She finished with 12 winners and just nine unforced errors, while Parry committed 25.
The victory was Eala’s 34th tour-level win of the season, a significant improvement for a player who had accumulated only 15 such victories before 2026.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Eala said in her postmatch interview.
“I think it was a really good first round, tough first round.”
Eala also acknowledged the enthusiastic support she received in China, where Filipino fans once again turned out in significant numbers.
“I’m really happy to be here,” she said.
Diana Shnaider Presents Tougher Test for Alex Eala
Eala’s next opponent presents a more difficult challenge.
Shnaider, ranked No. 13 in the world, advanced after defeating Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, 7-5, 7-6 (4), on Tuesday.
The Russian needed 2 hours, 26 minutes to secure the victory despite committing 49 unforced errors.
Shnaider has enjoyed a strong Asian swing, including a quarterfinal appearance at the Wuhan Open last week.
She defeated Karolina Muchova during that run before falling to Jelena Ostapenko.
Thursday’s meeting will be the first between Eala and Shnaider on the WTA Tour.
Eala, currently ranked No. 20, is seeking her first consecutive match victories since the US Open and a place in the Ningbo quarterfinals.
Shnaider’s left-handed game and aggressive groundstrokes should provide a different test from the one Eala faced against Parry.
The Filipino will need the same consistency she displayed Monday, particularly when returning serve.
Her ability to take the ball early and control rallies could determine whether she can unsettle the higher-ranked opponent.
For now, the schedule provides one certainty: Eala has another opportunity to compete on the tournament’s biggest court.
Filipino fans should prepare for a tentative 3:20 p.m. Thursday start, with the possibility of further adjustments as the day’s matches unfold.
Alex Eala’s Ningbo Open Match Gets New Start Time, Center Court Assignment