Alex Eala to face China's Han Shi in Wuhan Open Round of 64

Alex Eala is back on the hardcourt as she launches her WTA1000 Wuhan Open campaign against Chinese qualifier Han Shi in the Round of 64 at the Dongfeng Voyah Center Court.

The Filipina star will look to get back on track against Han Shi after a string of tough losses, including a semifinal defeat to Chinese bet Wang Xiyu that dashed her gold medal hopes for the second consecutive Asian Games edition.

Eala, ranked 18th in the world, is the 13th seed in the tournament and is looking to improve on her previous showings in the Wuhan Open.

The 21-year-old Eala competed in the same tournament twice in the last two years, falling in the first round in 2024 before missing the main draw altogether the following year.

With plenty of experiences and lessons she's now carrying, Eala is expected to go deeper this time, especially with several higher-ranked players missing the Wuhan Open action.

World No. 1 Elina Rybakina as well as Coco Gauff, Linda Noskova, and Amanda Anisimova are not seeing action in this year's edition.

Han Shi, meanwhile, is seeking to upset the Philippine ace after surviving two grueling matches in the qualifying round to make her main draw debut.

See photos of Alex Eala's season here:

—JMB, GMA News