Alexandra Eala stopped her three-match slide with a commanding opening-round victory over Diane Parry at the WTA 500 Ningbo Open, sweeping past the French player 6-3, 6-1 in 77 minutes.
The 21-year-old Filipino, playing her 34th tour-level winning match of the 2026 season, recovered from an uneven start before taking control of the contest. Eala had entered the year with only 15 career tour-level victories.
Quick facts
- Tournament: WTA 500 Ningbo Open, China
- First round: Alexandra Eala beat Diane Parry 6-3, 6-1
- Match time: 1 hour, 17 minutes
- Next opponent: Diana Shnaider or Yulia Putintseva
- Eala’s 2026 tour-level wins: 34
Both players traded breaks early in the first set, but Eala found another gear at 3-3. She ran off seven games in succession to claim the opener and move 4-0 clear in the second.
Parry briefly halted the run, but Eala promptly completed the straight-sets win to reach the last 16. The result followed first-round defeats in Singapore and Wuhan.
Eala’s cleaner hitting proved decisive. She struck 12 winners against nine unforced errors, while Parry produced 11 winners but leaked 25 unforced errors.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Eala said after the match. “It was a really good first round, a tough first round.”
She praised Parry’s season and added that she was pleased to have moved into the second round. Eala also acknowledged the strong support inside the stadium, where her followers again filled the stands.
“Thank you so much for the support,” Eala said. “It really makes my job very fun, even in the difficult moments. I’m really happy to be here.”
For a quarter-final place, Eala will meet sixth seed Diana Shnaider or qualifier Yulia Putintseva. She has not previously faced either player.
