Alex Eala and Diana Shnaider will lock horns once again in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open in Tokyo.

Eala has a great chance of success in Tokyo, but up next she faces a very difficult challenge against a new nemesis. The Filipina icon just played against WTA number 13 Shnaider at the Ningbo Open last week and lost.

Shnaider beat Eala 7-5, 6-4 in that round of 16 encounter, which represented the first match between the two left-handed rising stars. They will now go face-to-face once more on the court at the Japan Open, ahead of which Eala has given her opinion on the Russian.

Alex Eala ‘really excited’ to play Diana Shnaider again

Speaking in Tokyo after knocking out Talia Gibson, Eala said: “Yeah I think Diana’s been having a really great season obviously and playing super well. She was on before me and it was a really great match so, going to be a tough one and I’m really excited.”

Shnaider defeated qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in their match, while Eala overcame Gibson 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

Sharing her thoughts on the victory, the Filipina said: “Yeah it was a really close first set and I think it came down to details you know, so I really tried to make it a point to have more focus during those moments when I felt it was more important.”

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And sharing how she was able to fight back against Gibson, the world number 19 suggested: “Yeah well I think Talia is a really big hitter, very aggressive, so it could be difficult sometimes to get ahead of her.

“I think, like I said the details, they start to add up and then when the momentum gets going, maybe I become more aggressive and a little more consistent and everything kind of accumulates into a better player.”

Eala can certainly build on the impressive comeback she produced against Gibson, with that physical and mental strength likely going to be needed against Shnaider. And while she lost their recent meeting in Ningbo, the Filipina does have previous success against her upcoming opponent. They met as juniors in 2019, with Eala beating the Russian 6-1, 6-3 in the Osaka JA third round.