Qualifier Han Shi Topples Eala in Wuhan

Han Shi came to Wuhan through qualifying, ranked #217, and left Center Court on Monday night with the biggest win of her career. The 21-year-old from China beat #13 seed Alexandra Eala 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in two hours, 27 minutes for her first main-draw win at a WTA 1000 event and her first victory over a top-20 player. Eala, ranked #19, lost in the first round in Wuhan for the second straight year.

The first set stayed on serve until 4-4, when Eala took the last two games and closed it with a crosscourt backhand winner. The second set turned on one break. Shi broke for the first time in the seventh game, held the rest of the way and took the set 6-3 as Eala, who struggled to land her first serve, began to miss more often from the baseline. Shi carried that into the decider and opened a 3-0 lead. Eala pulled back within a break, but Shi kept serving aggressively and finished on her first match point when Eala sent a backhand return wide. The numbers favored the qualifier throughout: Shi hit 31 winners to Eala’s 20, while Eala made 37 unforced errors and six double faults.