Alex Eala found her serve when she needed it most. Then she found another gear.
The 21-year-old Filipina tennis star delivered nine aces and stormed back from a set down to defeat Australia’s Talia Gibson, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, on Wednesday at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Eala, seeded eighth and ranked No. 19 in the world, overcame a shaky opening set to reach her first quarterfinal of the Asian swing. She needed 1 hour, 53 minutes to turn a difficult afternoon into one of her most convincing finishes of the season.
And her improved serving was a big reason why.
Alex Eala’s Serve Delivers Against Talia Gibson
Eala struck nine aces, an exceptional total for a player whose serve has often been considered a weakness.
She landed 71% of her first serves and won 66% of those points. More importantly, she protected her delivery when the match began slipping away.
Gibson, ranked No. 38, took advantage of Eala’s early mistakes and claimed the opening set. The Australian appeared to have the momentum after breaking serve twice.
But Eala gradually found her rhythm.
Her returns became sharper, her movement improved and her groundstrokes began pushing Gibson behind the baseline.
After trailing 3-2 in the second set, Eala reeled off nine consecutive games. She finished the match with a commanding 6-0 third set.
Eala broke Gibson’s serve six times and saved all four break points she faced over the final two sets.
The result also highlighted a broader improvement in her game. According to Tennis Abstract data cited by Tennishead, Eala has held serve 67.5% of the time this season, compared with 59.4% in 2025.
What Eala Said After Her Comeback Win
Eala credited her patience and concentration for turning the match around.
“I think really staying in the match, never giving up,” Eala said in her on-court interview.
She also acknowledged that her recovery required more than one sudden adjustment.
Speaking afterward, Eala described her improvement as “a gradual increase of level.”
The Filipino fans inside the arena gave her another lift.
“I loved it, I loved it,” Eala said when asked about the support.
She later thanked her compatriots in Filipino and promised to see them in the quarterfinals.
Familiar Rival Awaits in Quarterfinals
Eala now gets an immediate opportunity for revenge.
She will face third seed Diana Shnaider, ranked No. 13, in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Shnaider defeated Eala, 7-5, 6-4, in the Ningbo Open second round last week. The Russian advanced in Tokyo by beating Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, on Wednesday.
Their rematch carries added significance for Eala, who is chasing her first semifinal since capturing her maiden WTA singles title in Washington in August.
After struggling through the early stages of the Asian swing, Eala has rediscovered her momentum.
Now comes another test against a familiar opponent, with a place in the Tokyo semifinals at stake.
Alex Eala Fires Career-High 9 Aces in Dramatic Tokyo Open Comeback