Filipino tennis fans will have to wait a little longer to watch Alex Eala’s next Ningbo Open match, but the stage remains the same—Center Court.
Eala’s second-round showdown with sixth seed Diana Shnaider is now tentatively scheduled for 3:20 p.m. Philippine time on Thursday, October 22, according to the updated Tennis.com schedule cited in the report.
That moves the projected start two hours and 20 minutes later than the earlier 1 p.m. listing. Fans should still allow for further adjustments, as the actual start will depend on how long the preceding matches take.
Despite the revised time, Eala retains her Center Court assignment at the Yinzhou International Tennis Centre in Ningbo, China. The tournament’s main court will host her bid for a quarterfinal berth against the world No. 13.
It is familiar territory for the 21-year-old Filipino, who opened her campaign there with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory over France’s Diane Parry on Monday.
That 77-minute performance ended a three-match losing streak and gave her an encouraging start in Ningbo. After reaching 3-3 in the opening set, Eala won seven straight games to pull away, combining 12 winners with just nine unforced errors.
She also enjoyed enthusiastic support from Filipino spectators, giving her Center Court appearance a lively atmosphere.
Thursday’s return brings a tougher assignment.
Shnaider advanced by beating Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, 7-5, 7-6 (4), in a match lasting two hours and 26 minutes. The Russian is coming off a quarterfinal finish at the Wuhan Open and will face Eala for the first time on the WTA Tour.
For Eala, currently ranked No. 20, victory would secure a place in the Ningbo quarterfinals and her first consecutive match wins since the US Open.
For fans, the immediate takeaway is a schedule adjustment worth noting. The latest projected start is 3:20 p.m. Thursday, Philippine time, with further movement possible as the day’s matches unfold.
The wait has grown longer, but Eala’s next challenge will still unfold on Ningbo’s biggest court.
