Alex Eala faces British teen Mika Stojsavljevic at Pan Pacific Open

Alex Eala faces British teen Mika Stojsavljevic at Pan Pacific Open

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Filipina tennis star Alex Eala opens her Toray Pan Pacific Open campaign in Tokyo against 17-year-old British wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic on October 26, 2026. Seeded eighth in the WTA 500 event, Eala enters the draw following a hard-fought round-of-16 exit at the Ningbo Open.

Alex Eala makes her debut appearance at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan, kicking off her round-of-32 campaign against Great Britain’s Mika Stojsavljevic. The match marks the first-ever meeting between the World No. 20 Filipina and the 17-year-old British teenager, who entered the WTA 500 event as a wild card.

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Rankings, Backgrounds, and the Road to Tokyo

Stojsavljevic arrives in Tokyo ranked No. 308 in the world, holding a career-high singles ranking of No. 261 achieved in June 2026. The 6-foot-1 British player began her training at age seven at the Ealing Tennis Club and captured the US Open girls’ singles title in 2024—two years after Eala claimed the same junior crown. Eala currently stands as the eighth seed in Tokyo, anchoring her position inside the WTA Top 20 after a banner season that included her first WTA title at the Washington Open in August and a fourth-round run at Wimbledon.

The Asian swing continues for Eala after a demanding three-set battle in China. She is coming off a 5-7, 4-6 loss to Russia’s World No. 13 Diana Shnaider in the round of 16 at the Ningbo Open, where she saved six match points in the second frame before bowing out. That exit marked her first defeat against a higher-ranked adversary during a stretch that included a round-of-16 finish as the third seed at the Singapore Open and an opening-round exit at the Wuhan Open.

Dealing With Draw Withdrawals and Potential Rematches

Eala’s path through the Tokyo draw received an unexpected boost following the withdrawal of three major title contenders. Tournament organizers listed American World No. 4 Jessica Pegula, Ukrainian World No. 6 Elina Svitolina, and Polish World No. 9 Iga Swiatek among the players pulling out of the event.

Despite those high-profile pullouts, the Toray Pan Pacific Open retains a formidable field led by World No. 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and World No. 10 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. If Eala defeats Stojsavljevic in her opener, she is projected to face Australia’s Talia Gibson or a qualifier in the second round. A deeper run could set up a potential quarterfinal rematch against Shnaider, who acknowledged the tactical challenges of facing another left-hander on tour.

Alex Eala vs Mika Stojsavljevic Toray Pan Pacific Open Tokyo Japan
Photo: Inquirer

The tournament field also features other notable competitors such as American World No. 12 Iva Jovic and Swiss World No. 14 Belinda Bencic. Philippine Tennis Association Secretary-General John Rey Tiangco has offered organizational backing amid the recent tour events, while the association’s leadership continues to express full confidence in the young star’s recovery from her recent matches.

Alex is a very dangerous, tough opponent. Another leftie. Another big hitter. She won’t back down. She steps in… I knew it was gonna be tough so I’m very proud and happy with how I performed today.

Diana Shnaider, via ABS-CBN

Doubles Partnership and Future Tour Schedule

Krawczyk, a 32-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner in mixed doubles who reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 7 in 2024, currently holds the No. 32 ranking and also plays left-handed. The duo is slated to open their doubles bracket in the round of 16 against Japan’s Miyu Kato and Chinese Taipei’s Chan Hao-ching.

With her sights set on breaking into the WTA Top 15, Eala will wrap up her 2026 season at the Hong Kong Tennis Open from November 2 to 8. Following that event, she is expected to take a scheduled break from the WTA Tour before returning home to the Philippines for an exhibition match against Indonesia’s Janice Tjen on December 8 at the Philippine Arena. Former player and coach Brad Gilbert noted the unique trajectory facing the young star as she carries national expectations on the global tour. Maybe the player I’m most interested to see where she’s going to go in 2027 — she probably has the most pressure on her of any player — is Eala, Gilbert observed, praising how she handles the spotlight.

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