Key Takeaways
- Alex Eala named Coco Gauff as her ideal road trip companion during a Ningbo Open questionnaire, praising the American’s music taste.
- The 20-year-old selected Zeynep Sonmez as her dream doubles partner, Moyuka Uchijima for karaoke, and Fran Jones for making funny videos.
- Ranked world No. 20, Eala advanced to the Ningbo Open second round with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Diane Parry to set up an encounter with sixth seed Diana Shnaider.
Off-court picks and on-court ambitions in Ningbo
During a social media segment organized at the Ningbo Open, Alex Eala shared which fellow WTA competitors she would prefer for various leisure activities outside competition.
When questioned about an ideal road trip partner, the 20-year-old Filipina singled out American star Coco Gauff, emphasizing that their musical preferences aligned well. Eala stated that “the playlist would be banging” with Gauff alongside her, pointing to the two-time major singles champion’s music taste as the deciding factor.
Doubles and off-court connections
For on-court collaboration, Eala named Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez as her dream doubles teammate. Highlighting their close friendship, Eala remarked, “we have so much fun” together while noting that Sonmez is a strong competitor. The duo previously paired up at the Wuhan Open, falling in the opening round against Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska and Anhelina Kalinina. Sonmez holds a WTA singles title from Merida in 2024 and currently occupies the world No. 63 ranking.
Eala also picked Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima for karaoke, conceding with a smile that although a performance together might not create an elite duet, it would be an enjoyable outing. Additionally, she designated British player Fran Jones as her top choice for filming humorous videos.
Second-round clash against Diana Shnaider
Beyond off-court questions, Eala is competing at the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo. Ranked No. 20 in the world, she advanced past her opening contest with a 6-3, 6-1 victory against France’s Diane Parry.
Her next assignment is a second-round showdown on Wednesday, October 21, against sixth seed Diana Shnaider, who sits seven spots higher at world No. 13. The 22-year-old Russian reached the round of 16 by battling past Yulia Putintseva in a 7-5, 7-6 contest.
The upcoming match marks the first encounter between Eala and Shnaider, both of whom play left-handed. The victor will secure a quarterfinal spot against either Jasmine Paolini or Iva Jovic, both of whom defeated Eala earlier this season at Wimbledon and the US Open, respectively.
Cori Gauff in 2026
At the moment ranked no.5, Coco played her last match on the 7th of October when she lost to world no.15 Elise Mertens 6-3 6-3 in the 4th round in Beijing (draw).
This season Gauff has a composed 47-15 win-loss record. Gauff clinched 1 title in Cincinnati.
WTA Ningbo - Alexandra Eala's projected path
Eala in Ningbo, ranking, and results in 2026
Ranked world no.20, Alexandra owns a 41-23 record in 2026. Eala is participating in Ningbo where she defeated the world no.34 Diane Parry 6-3 6-1.
Alexandra Eala will fight against the world no.13 Diana Shnaider in the 2nd round. In the past, they have never played each other so far in top tournaments.
The Filipino conquered 2 titles in 2026 in the Birmingham and Washington.
Cori Gauff and Alexandra Eala played each other only twice. Their current head to head is 1-1.
