Alex Eala opened her campaign at the 2026 WTA 500 Toray Pan Pacific Open in impressive fashion, defeating British wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round on Monday evening.
Eala immediately established her dominance, taking advantage of Stojsavljevic’s early errors to race to a 5-0 lead in the opening set.
The Filipina’s aggressive returns and consistent serving put the British teenager under pressure, while two double faults in the early stages further complicated Stojsavljevic’s efforts to stay competitive.
The 17-year-old Stojsavljevic eventually got on the scoreboard in the sixth game, using her powerful forehand to secure a service hold. However, Eala remained composed and closed out the set, 6-1, after winning the following game.
Eala Holds Off Stojsavljevic’s Second-Set Fightback
Stojsavljevic showed greater resistance in the second set, but Eala maintained the upper hand by breaking her opponent’s serve early and holding her own to establish a 2-0 advantage.
The world-ranked No. 308 attempted to mount a comeback, taking games to narrow the gap to 2-3 and forcing Eala to work through several lengthy rallies.
The world-ranked No. 20 responded with greater aggression, surviving three break points in the seventh game before eventually securing the hold. She then broke Stojsavljevic’s serve again to move ahead 5-2.
Serving for the match, the Filipina delivered another composed performance, finishing with consecutive forehand winners to complete the 6-2 second-set victory.
Alex Eala Highlights Focus and Aggression After Victory
Following her dominant opening-round performance, Alex Eala emphasized the importance of maintaining her concentration against an opponent she had never faced before.
“I think it was super important today to be focused on every single point. Playing against Mika for the first time was a great experience, and I’m sure we’ll meet many, many more times,” said Eala in her on-court post-match interview.
The Filipina also credited her aggressive approach for helping her counter Stojsavljevic’s powerful serve.
“I think it’s a part of my style. She’s a great server. I think that was one of the key points from the match today. That’s one of the things that made it a bit more difficult for me, so I’m really happy that I was able to do that,” she added.
Despite producing 24 winners, Stojsavljevic struggled with consistency, committing 41 unforced errors. Eala, meanwhile, recorded just 11 unforced errors and won 72 percent of her first-serve points, helping her control the match.
Round-of-16 Clash Against Talia Gibson
The victory sends Alex Eala into the Round of 16, where she will face Australia’s Talia Gibson, ranked World No. 38.
Gibson advanced after defeating fellow Australian Daria Kasatkina, 6-0, 7-5, setting up another challenge for the eighth-seeded Filipina as she pursues a quarterfinal appearance during the Asian swing.
Eala’s singles victory also comes after her campaign in the women’s doubles with Filipino-American Desirae Krawczyk was called off following Krawczyk’s withdrawal due to a back issue.
Alex Eala Next Match
Tournament: WTA 500 Toray Pan Pacific Open
Event: Singles — Round of 16 Match: Alex Eala vs. Talia Gibson
Date: Wednesday, October 28
Time: TBD
