Alex Eala Loses to Qualifier Shi Han in Wuhan Open First Round

Alex Eala’s Wuhan Open singles run ended on Monday night. The 13th seed lost to Chinese qualifier Shi Han, 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, in the first round at Dongfeng Voyah Center Court. The match took 2 hours and 28 minutes.

She opened with a set in hand

Eala took the first set 6-4. Shi had the first two break points of that set, and Eala saved both before moving ahead 5-4. She led 3-2 in the second set. Shi then won the next four games to level the match and stayed steady through the decider.

The match produced 37 unforced errors and 20 winners for Eala. Shi, ranked 217th in the world, had never beaten a top-100 player before this tournament. She now plays Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the next round.

From a podium to a new draw

Eala skipped the China Open to represent the Philippines at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, where she won bronze. Wuhan was her first tournament since. After her semifinal there, she said she was “going to Wuhan and continue the tour.”

This was her second main draw in Wuhan. The first came in 2024 on a wildcard. This year she was seeded.

First wins this season

Eala is 21. This season she earned her first main draw wins at three WTA 1000 events: Dubai, Indian Wells and Cincinnati. Wuhan remains one of three WTA 1000 events where she has yet to win a main draw match. It is the final WTA 1000 of the 2026 season.

Doubles keep her in Wuhan

Eala stays in the tournament for doubles. She plays with Zeynep Sönmez against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday. Her next listed tournament is the WTA 500 Ningbo Open, also in China.