FILIPINA tennis star Alex Eala delivered a dominant performance on Monday, defeating British wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic in straight sets, 6–1, 6–2, to secure a spot in the Round of 16 at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Japan.
The victory puts Eala within reach of her first quarterfinal appearance of the Asian Swing as she prepares to face veteran Talia Gibson next.
Eala stormed out to a commanding 5–0 lead in the opening set before Stojsavljevic, the 2024 US Open Girls’ Singles champion, found her rhythm and struck back with a pair of forehand winners to get on the scoreboard.
The Filipina remained unfazed, however, and closed out the set in the seventh game with decisive forehand strikes of her own. In the second set, Stojsavljevic continued to challenge Eala in extended rallies early on, but Eala held firm, eventually reeling off the final three games — surviving three break points in Game 7 — before sealing the match with back‑to‑back winners.
The win sets up a Round of 16 clash with Talia Gibson, the 38‑year‑old American currently ranked No. 38 in the world. Eala will be aiming to upset the experienced campaigner and break into the last eight of the tournament for the first time this Asian Swing.
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