TENNIS: Alex Eala advances to Japan Open Quarterfinals

Filipino tennis star Alexandra Eala conquered Australian Talia Gibson, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, Wednesday to reach the WTA 500 Toray Pan Pacific Open quarterfinals at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan.

Eala, currently World No. 19, will next face third seed Diana Shnaider, who won over Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Shnaider beat Eala, 7-5, 6-4, at the WTA 500 Ningbo Open last week.

After winning the singles bronze medal at the Nagoya Asian Games, Eala made early exits in China and Singapore.

Seeded No. 13 at the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open, Eala fell to Chinese qualifier Shi Han, 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, in the first round.

At the WTA 500 Singapore Open, the third-seeded Eala absorbed a shocking 4-6, 7-5, 3-6 first-round loss to World No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova.