Alex Eala missed the chance to reach a career-high ranking as she lost to Diana Shnaider at the Pan Pacific Open for the second tournament in a row.

Eala started the contest the brighter of the two, hitting 14 winners to 10 unforced errors and staving off all three break points that she faced.

The Filipina took the first set 6-2 in 36 minutes, but the second set was a different story. Both players earned themselves break points but were unable to forge an opening.

Eala had multiple break points at 4-4 to then serve for the match, but the 22-year-old Russian held firm and both players headed to a second-set tiebreak.

Shnaider, who beat the 21-year-old in two tight sets at the Ningbo Open last week, and Eala traded mini-breaks in the tiebreak before the world No 13 served just her second ace of the match to set up a decider.

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Following a gruelling second set that lasted one hour and 23 minutes, Shnaider finally converted her first break point to go 2-1 up in the third set.

Eala called for the trainer at 3-2 down in the decider, with the youngster then receiving treatment on her right foot and ankle. After an initial assessment, a medical timeout followed.

The Washington Open champion battled on, but Shnaider was able to outlast the Filipino in a 2-6 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory in two hours and 53 minutes. Shnaider took just one of her nine break points, and Eala was 2/10 in that category but in the end, the French Open semi-finalist’s consistency saw her through.

For Eala’s efforts this week, she pockets £24,975 in prize money and 108 ranking points. A win would have taken the world No 18 up to a career-high of 16, but it wasn’t to be.

Shnaider herself moves up to 2,933 points, just behind Iva Jovic in 12th and now she will face Mia Pohankova in the Pacific Pan Open semi-finals on Saturday.

Incidentally, Eala is scheduled to play in Hong Kong next week in what would be the last tournament of her 2026 season. But after this foot problem, it remains to be seen if she will show up at the WTA 250 event.