Alexandra Eala cruises into Round 2 of Pan Pacific Open; Bencic, Chwalinska withdraw
Synopsis
Alexandra Eala advanced in straight sets at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, but the bigger story is the draw's sudden reshaping: both No. 2 seed Maja Chwalinska — fresh off her maiden WTA title — and defending champion Belinda Bencic have withdrawn through injury, dramatically opening the field in Tokyo.
Key Takeaways
8 seed) defeated wild card Mika Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 in 75 minutes in the opening round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo .
Stojsavljevic hit 24 winners but committed 41 unforced errors ; Eala served at 68% on first serve and won 72% of those points.
2 seed Maja Chwalinska withdrew with a left thigh injury ; replaced by lucky loser Kimberly Birrell .
Defending champion Belinda Bencic (No.
4 seed) pulled out due to a right ankle injury .
5 seed Elise Mertens improved to 3-0 against Moyuka Uchijima with a 6-4, 6-2 win.
Qualifier Alycia Parks defeated Wang Xinyu 6-1, 7-6(7) , saving three set points in the second set.
Alexandra Eala, the No. 8 seed, swept past 17-year-old wild card Mika Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 in just 75 minutes in the opening round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Monday, 26 October. The result was one-sided on the scoreboard, though Stojsavljevic actually generated more raw firepower throughout the contest.
How Eala Controlled the Match
Stojsavljevic, relying on heavy groundstroke power, accumulated 24 winners compared to Eala's eight — yet her inability to reign in her big swings cost her dearly, as she racked up 41 unforced errors. Eala, by contrast, served cleanly, landing 68 per cent of her first deliveries and converting 72 per cent of those points into won rallies. The only moment of danger came in the second game of the second set, when Eala faced a 0-40 deficit, but she escaped with two service winners and a clinical one-two combination.
Eala's Next Opponent
Eala will next square off against Talia Gibson, who advanced through an all-Australian first-round clash against qualifier Daria Kasatkina. Gibson raced to a 6-0 opening set before having to dig deep in the second, eventually sealing a 6-0, 7-5 victory. The winner of that Singapore finalist's match sets up a compelling second-round contest.
Bencic and Chwalinska Forced Out with Injuries
The tournament's draw took two significant blows on the same day. No. 2 seed Maja Chwalinska, who claimed her first career WTA title in Wuhan just two weeks ago, withdrew citing a left thigh injury. She will be replaced in the main draw by Kimberly Birrell of Australia — the lucky loser who won her maiden title in Seoul last month — who enters with a first-round bye and faces qualifier Alycia Parks in the second round.
Defending champion Belinda Bencic, seeded No. 4, also pulled out due to a right ankle injury. She will be replaced by the highest-ranked lucky loser who signed in on Tuesday. Bencic's exit removes a marquee name from the draw and opens the bottom half of the bracket considerably.
Other First-Round Results
No. 5 seed Elise Mertens extended her perfect record against Japanese wild card Moyuka Uchijima to 3-0 with a composed 6-4, 6-2 win. Meanwhile, qualifier Alycia Parks showed resilience to outlast Wang Xinyu 6-1, 7-6(7), saving three set points in the second set — once at 5-4 down and twice during the tiebreak — to advance.
Point of View
Who arrived in Tokyo on a title wave from Wuhan, and Bencic, the defending champion, in the same session hollows out two of the top four seeds before the tournament finds its footing. For emerging players like Eala, the timing is significant: a thinned draw and a manageable second-round opponent in Gibson represent a genuine opportunity to string together a deep run. Whether the WTA's wider injury crisis — a recurring theme this season — prompts any review of the calendar's congestion is a question that will outlast the Tokyo fortnight.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Alexandra Eala and how did she perform at the Pan Pacific Open?
Alexandra Eala is the No. 8 seed at the 2026 Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. She defeated 17-year-old wild card Mika Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 in 75 minutes in the first round on Monday, 26 October, dropping serve just once during the match.
Why did Belinda Bencic withdraw from the Pan Pacific Open?
Defending champion Belinda Bencic withdrew from the tournament due to a right ankle injury. She will be replaced in the draw by the highest-ranked lucky loser who signed in on Tuesday.
Why did Maja Chwalinska withdraw from the Pan Pacific Open?
No. 2 seed Maja Chwalinska withdrew citing a left thigh injury, just two weeks after winning her first career WTA title in Wuhan. Australia's Kimberly Birrell entered the main draw as a lucky loser with a first-round bye.
Who does Alexandra Eala face in the second round?
Eala is set to face Talia Gibson in the second round. Gibson advanced by defeating qualifier Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5 in an all-Australian first-round derby.
What other notable results came from the Pan Pacific Open first round?
No. 5 seed Elise Mertens beat wild card Moyuka Uchijima 6-4, 6-2 to go 3-0 in their head-to-head series. Qualifier Alycia Parks also advanced, defeating Wang Xinyu 6-1, 7-6(7) after saving three set points in the second set.
