Alexandra Eala is already in Tokyo, as she prepares to play in the Pan Pacific Open for the very first time.
This marks a real opportunity for the 21-year-old to get herself back on track, having seen her form falter in recent weeks.
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Across a sensational summer, she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon, won her first WTA Tour-level title in Washington, and made it to the third round at the US Open.
It marked a culmination of all of her hard work and was richly deserved.
However, Alexandra Eala‘s hectic schedule to create such a special run of form may be exactly what is now holding her back during this Asian swing.
She’ll be desperate to turn things around in Tokyo this coming week.
Speaking at her press conference ahead of her return to action, Eala began by insisting that, despite losing in just the second round, she was pleased with her run in Ningbo.
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She argued: “I’m happy with how I played last week at Ningbo; the outcome was good, even though I lost.
“I was pleased with my footwork during the match. And, of course, I’m super excited to be back in Japan—it’s my first time playing here in Tokyo!”
Then, asked about her upcoming opponent Mika Stojsavljevic, Eala admitted she did not know much about the British teenager.
She did still say: “I don’t know her very well yet. I’ve only seen her a couple of times on tour, but she seems like a really nice person.
“Big hitter, great junior career, so of course very excited.”
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Stojsavljevic has been given a wildcard into the Tokyo Open, and it represents the latest of a handful of WTA Tour-level experiences the 17-year-old is amassing.
It’s also been confirmed that Eala will be playing doubles with a Grand Slam champion in Tokyo, as she continues to find the balance between enjoying both disciplines at the same tournament.
