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Philippines star Alexandra Eala said “the ball doesn’t know what rank you are” after beating world number 411 Mika Stojsavljevic 6-1, 6-2 in her opener in Tokyo on Monday.
World number 19 Eala arrived at the Pan Pacific Open on the back of a poor run of form that saw her win just one match at her last three tournaments.
That included a shock first-round defeat to 217th-ranked Chinese qualifier Shi Han at the Wuhan Open this month.
Eala avoided a similar banana skin against British 17-year-old Stojsavljevic, brushing past her opponent in 75 minutes.
“I try to look at the player separate from the ranking,” said Eala.
“The ball doesn’t know what rank you are.
“It’s just being ready and trying to keep that intensity all the time.”
Eala is followed everywhere by adoring fans eager to see the 21-year-old, who in August became the first player from the Philippines to win a title on the women’s WTA Tour.
She was again supported by a small but passionate group of fans on centre court in Tokyo.
Eala breezed into a 5-0 lead in the first set and closed it out despite Stojsavljevic pulling a game back.
The British player gave her more problems in the second set, but Eala was never seriously troubled and took the match without ever having her service broken.
“It’s a little faster than the court I played on last week,” said Eala.
“It’s indoor, comfortable weather, not very hot. I think I’m finding my groove.”
No 5 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium also progressed, beating Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima 6-4, 6-2.
But No 2 seed Maja Chwalinska and defending champion Belinda Bencic both withdrew from the tournament through injury without playing a match.
Bencic, who was the fourth seed, said her season was over after several ligament tears were discovered in her right foot.
“I am still completely unsure when and how this occurred, but it is sadly preventing me from competing here in Tokyo this week and in Hong Kong next week,” said the Swiss player.
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