The Pan Pacific Open 2025 is set to commence its main draw singles matches on Monday, October 20, marking the final WTA 500 event of the season. The prestigious tournament will take place at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, concluding on October 26.
Among the notable absentees is defending champion Zheng Qinwen, alongside a host of top-ranked players. However, World No. 10 Elena Rybakina will headline the event as the top seed after Jasmine Paolini’s withdrawal to focus on the upcoming WTA Finals. Rybakina recently clinched the title at the Ningbo Open and will receive a bye in the Round of 32 in Tokyo.
Fans can look forward to an exciting lineup featuring big names like McCartney Kessler and Leylah Fernandez vying for the title. The first day of matches will showcase six singles contests, and predictions for these encounters have generated significant interest.
In the opening matchup, McCartney Kessler will take on Cristina Bucsa. Kessler is having a breakthrough season, recently achieving a top 30 WTA singles ranking after her victory at the Nottingham Open in June. She heads into this tournament following strong performances, including a quarterfinal appearance in Ningbo. On the other hand, Cristina Bucsa, ranked 72nd, has struggled during the Asian swing, having faced early exits in previous tournaments. The prediction favors Kessler to win in straight sets.
The second match features Karolina Muchova, an eighth seed in this tournament, facing off against former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. Muchova is coming off a solid performance in Ningbo where she secured a straight-set victory against Vondrousova, adding to the anticipation for their rematch. The prediction is for Muchova to again emerge victorious in straight sets.
Further predictions for Day 1 matches include Katie Boulter expected to edge out Eva Lys in three sets, Varvara Gracheva favored to win against Xinyu Wang in a closely contested encounter, and Maya Joint anticipated to outlast Viktorija Golubic, also in three sets. In the final match of the day, Anna Kalinskaya is predicted to defeat Suzan Lamens in straight sets.
With such thrilling matchups on the horizon, the Pan Pacific Open 2025 promises to deliver an action-packed start, showcasing both seasoned competitors and rising stars in women’s tennis.