Eala aiming to finish season with bang after Tokyo exit

TOKYO — Philippines sensation Alexandra Eala lost in the quarter-finals in Tokyo on Friday and said she had "high motivation" to finish her breakthrough season with a bang next week in Hong Kong. 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 favorites 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...