Eala opens Suzhou bid

Alex Eala will once again display her wares in China as she faces Katarzyna Kawa of Poland in the Round of 32 of the Suzhou Open at the Sungent International Tennis Center in Suzhou on Tuesday.

Game time will be at 10 a.m. with the 20-year-old Eala bidding again to capture her second Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) crown.

The world No. 58 looked poised to win the Jingshan Tennis Open last week as she entered as the No. 1 seed and only player within the top 100 of the WTA.

But she was stopped by Lulu Sun of New Zealand, 6-3, 4-6, 2-6, in the semifinal.

Heading into the Suzhou Open, Eala is favored in her match as Kawa is currently at No. 124 in the WTA rankings.

But the 32-year-old Polish netter will lean on her experience as she won seven International Tennis Federation titles.

Should Eala emerge victorious, she will face Greet Minnen of Belgium in the Round of 16.

The Suzhou Open will be Eala's final tournament before the Wuhan Open, a WTA 1000 tilt, starting on 6 October.

Unlike in her previous WTA 1000 stints since entering the top 100, Eala will have to go through the qualifying round of the Wuhan Open as only the Top 56 players will get a direct berth at the main draw.