In the Wuhan Open women’s singles first round, qualifier Shi Han beat world No. 19 Eala of the Philippines 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 in two hours 27 minutes on the evening of October 12. It was her first top-twenty victory and first WTA 1000 singles main-draw win.
Seven straight games from the middle of set two
Eala won five consecutive points from 0–40 in the opener's final game to break for the set, then led set two 3–2. Shi won four games to force a decider and extended the streak to seven for 3–0.
Shi won sixteen of eighteen points in her final four service games. Eala kept holding her own serve but could not recover the earlier deficit, and Shi served out.
Women's singles first-round score
| Player | First set | Second set | Third set | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shi Han | 4 | 6 | 6 | Advances |
| Eala | 6 | 3 | 3 | Eliminated |
Shi led aces four to none, winners 31–20 and total points 100–88. WTA reported her saying she tried to remain patient and fight for every ball.
Ranked 217 before the event, Shi won two qualifying rounds. This gave her three consecutive top-100 victories in a few days and her first tour main-draw singles win since Hong Kong in 2024. She next faces Canada's Fernandez for the first time.
INKA SPORTS analysis: Service games protect the turnaround
Four games from 2–3 in set two leveled sets, then three established the decider's 3–0. A lead came first, but Eala could still recover with breaks. Conceding only two points across Shi's final four service games prevented Eala's holds becoming a route back.
Conclusion
Shi linked consecutive games with late service protection: turn set two, lead the decider, then hold to finish. Conceding just two points in those four service games directly illustrates how she protected her lead late on. Serving stability remains a specific next test against Fernandez.
