Alex Eala is well and truly up and running in Tokyo after easing past Mika Stojsavljevic in her first match at the Japan Open.

Eala is the eighth seed at the Japan Open, the latest WTA 500 tournament in the calendar. She overcame Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 after 75 minutes, earning a meeting with Talia Gibson in the round of 16. The Australian beat Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5 in her opener.

It will certainly be a tough test for Eala, although the Filipina superstar has been handed a major boost elsewhere at the tournament in Tokyo, where she is chasing a second career title. The current world number 19 claimed her maiden success in Washington earlier this year.

Alexandra Eala will win __ WTA titles during her career

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Alex Eala faces golden opportunity at the Japan Open

Eala is in the bottom half of the Japan Open draw, which had initially featured Diana Shnaider and Maja Chwalinska as the two seeded players earning byes into round two. But Chwalinska has just withdrawn from Tokyo, citing a left thigh injury as her reason. The Pole suffered the issue at the Wuhan Open, where she claimed the title. It also forced her to miss the Ningbo Open.

Eala was projected to meet Chwalinska in the semifinals of the Japan Open, but her withdrawal should really benefit the Filipina. It is one less major challenge for Eala to worry about, particularly given that she has lost their only career meeting to date. Lucky loser Kimberly Birrell has replaced Chwalinska in the draw, and meets Alycia Parks in round two following a first round bye.

Meanwhile, another significant injury has opened up the top half of the draw, with Belinda Bencic withdrawing from the Japan Open due to a foot injury. But Eala will still be well aware of the challenges ahead, particularly given her other possible matches this week.

She could meet Diana Shnaider should she make it past Gibson, having just lost to the Russian in Ningbo. Meanwhile, Ningbo champion and world number one Elena Rybakina represents a possible final opponent.

Injuries have also impacted Eala much more directly in Tokyo, where she was also expected to play doubles. But her playing partner Desirae Krawczyk has suffered a back injury, forcing the pair to withdraw from the event.