Star Metro - Eala aiming to finish season with bang after Tokyo exit

Eala lost 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 against Russian number three seed Diana Shnaider in her debut appearance at the Pan Pacific Open.

The world number 19 has one more tournament left in a season that saw her become the first player from the Philippines to win a title on the women's WTA Tour in Washington in August.

Eala will be among the favourites for the title in Hong Kong, and she said she was not in the mood to look back on her achievements yet.

"I'm super excited, and I'm going in with high motivation," said the 21-year-old.

"I'm trying to put my reflections off for one more week because of said motivation. Check back in a week."

Eala won five straight games to take control of the first set, but the second set was a far closer affair.

Neither player managed to break their opponent's serve, but world number 13 Shnaider edged the tie-breaker.

Shnaider went a break up early in the third set and Eala needed treatment on her right foot before the Russian clinched the match with an ace.

Eala said the match had been "a huge battle".

"Both of us could take the match to a really, really high level," she said.

"I'm proud of that despite the loss, but I do think I had my chances.

"Next time, hopefully do better in those moments," she added.

Eala was again backed by a large, passionate group of Philippines fans.

She was playing in Japan for the second time in two months after reaching the semi-finals at the Asian Games in Nagoya.

"To be in front of the crowd and to play in this atmosphere is always super special," she said.

"I love Japan as a whole, whether I'm here for tennis or not, so I really had fun."

Shnaider will play Mia Pohankova in the semi-finals after the 18-year-old Slovakian beat American Alycia Parks 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

Uzbekistan's Kamilla Rakhimova will play Canada's Leylah Fernandez in the other semi-final.

Fernandez advanced when world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew with a neck injury.

O.Martin--SMC