Eala teams up with Krawczyk for Tokyo doubles

Filipina tennis star Alex Eala will team up with Desirae Krawczyk at the Toray Pan Pacific Open.

Krawczyk is a familiar face to Filipino fans who may remember her appearance on the Player’s Box podcast, where they talked about her Filipino mom.

Krawczyk is currently ranked No. 32 in doubles and brings serious experience to the partnership. 

The American is another lefty, like Eala. She also has won 13 doubles titles on the WTA Tour and reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 7 in August 2024.

Krawczyk has won four Grand Slam titles in mixed doubles, having lifted the 2021 French and US Open trophies with Joe Salisbury. She also won mixed doubles at the 2021 and 2022 Wimbledon Championships with Neal Skupski.  

Her best finish in a Grand Slam women’s doubles event was in 2020, when she reached the final of Roland Garros with Alexa Guarachi. She also won the Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Open in 2010. 

She’s reached the women’s doubles semifinals of the US Open once, and Wimbledon thrice.  

Standing across the net for Alex & Des in the first round will be the experienced pairing of Hao-Ching Chan and Miyu Kato. 

Chan, ranked No. 37 in doubles, is a seasoned campaigner with 23 doubles titles to her name and a former career-high of No. 5 achieved in June 2016. 

Kato is ranked No. 46 in doubles with six titles of her own.

In singles, Eala faces 17-year-old British wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic, ranked No. 308 in the world, in the first round. 

The schedule for both the singles and doubles draws is yet to be announced.