Who is Mei Yamaguchi, Alex Eala's Round of 16 foe at Jingshan Open?

Alex Eala will be crossing paths with another unfamiliar foe when she continues her run at the 2025 Jingshan Tennis Open in China. 

The top-seeded 20-year-old Eala, who opened her campaign with a 6-3, 7-5 win in the Round of 32 over Aliona Falei of Belarus, is set to see action in the Round of 16 on Wednesday against Japanese tennis bet Mei Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi is a new face for the Philippine ace.

The 26-year-old Yamaguchi defeated Hong Kong's Hong Yi Cody Wong in the Round of 32, eking out a dominant 6-4, 6-1 victory to advance to the next phase. 

Yamaguchi, who has not won a singles title in the WTA ranks, had a career-high ranking of no. 242 last May and is currently ranked 268th in the world. 

READ MORE | Alex Eala’s World Ranking in 2025: Week-by-week ranking

She was coming off a WTA500 event, competing at the Abierto GNP Seguros last month but only reached the qualifying round after bowing to Xiaodi You of China in the opening round.

Yamaguchi now stands in Eala's way as the Filipina star hopes to make up for her quarterfinals loss to another Asian talent in Janice Tjen of Indonesia last week.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News