Alex Eala came within a few points of revenge in Tokyo, but Diana Shnaider found another gear. Eala fell 6-2, 6-7(5), 4-6 in the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 Pan Pacific Open at the Ariake Coliseum.
The rematch came just a week after Shnaider beat Eala 7-5, 6-4 in the Round of 16 at the Ningbo Open. Eala earned her place in the last eight by beating Talia Gibson 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, while Shnaider got past Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Back level! 😮
Diana Shnaider digs deep to take the second set tiebreak 7-5. We’re going all the way in this quarterfinal in Tokyo!
#torayppo https://t.co/Dmpm2pUvcF
— wta (@WTA) October 30, 2026
The Filipina started well this time. She broke Shnaider twice in a strong opening set while staying aggressive from the baseline. In the second set, Eala had several chances to break, including in the ninth game, but Shnaider kept escaping trouble and forced a tiebreak. The Russian then held firm to complete the comeback in 2 hours and 52 minutes.
The match was a contest between two of the tour’s top left-handers. Their rivalry now stands at 2-0 in Shnaider’s favor on the pro tour, though Eala won their only junior meeting in 2019. The loss stings, but Tokyo was still a step forward for Eala after winning just one match in her first three events of the Asian swing.
In a post game interview, Shnaider said that the match feels like a finals match.
Shnaider moves on to the semifinals, where 18-year-old wild card Mia Pohankova awaits.
