Alexandra Eala began her Toray Pan Pacific Open campaign on a winning note, overwhelming British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic, 6-1, 6-2, in the opening round of the WTA 500 tournament in Tokyo, Japan on Monday.
The eighth-seeded Filipina needed just two sets to dispatch the 17-year-old wildcard entry and secured a place in the round of 16, delivering a composed performance marked by efficient serving and strong returns.
Eala won 60 points against Stojsavljevic’s 40 and claimed 12 games, while limiting her opponent to just three. She converted four of her seven break-point opportunities and prevented the British youngster from converting any of her three chances.
The world No. 20 also held the advantage on serve, winning 74 percent of points on her first serve and 50 percent on her second. She landed 74 percent of her first serves and committed no double faults.
Stojsavljevic, meanwhile, won 60 percent of her first-serve points and 42 percent on her second serve. Despite recording two aces against Eala’s one, the Briton struggled with her consistency, committing five double faults.
Eala also collected 24 receiving points and won eight service games, compared with Stojsavljevic’s 17 receiving points and three service games.
“I think it was super important today to be focused in every single point. Playing against Mika for the first time was a great experience, and I’m sure we will meet many, many more times,” Eala said.
The victory provides Eala with a positive start in Tokyo as she seeks to regain momentum following early exits in her recent tournaments during the Asian swing of the WTA Tour. (Adrian Co)
