Slovak teenager Mia Pohankova reached the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Friday, beating American Alycia Parks 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the quarterfinals. The result was reported by the Associated Press account carried by Europe Says and AAP News, and confirmed by Sportradar’s match listing, which gives the same sets. Pohankova, who turned 18 last week and was a wild-card entry, according to the Associated Press account, won the only break point that mattered in the first set, edged the tiebreak 7-3, and broke early in the second to put the match away, according to Tennis Watcher. She is ranked 144th in the world, according to Tennis Now and Tennis Watcher.
A dream week keeps growing
Pohankova’s Tokyo run began with a stunning second-round win over Naomi Osaka, 6-3, 7-5, according to the WTA and Tennis Now. That victory, described by the WTA as the biggest win of her career, according to Tennis Now, sent her into the quarterfinals in her first main-draw appearance at a WTA 500-level tournament, according to the WTA. Parks, ranked 65th, according to Tennis Watcher, had arrived in the quarterfinals after a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kimberly Birrell, according to Tennis Now. Pohankova’s ability to beat a second top-80 opponent in the same tournament, according to Tennis Watcher, shows this is not a one-match story but a genuine breakthrough week.
From Wimbledon juniors to WTA semifinals
Pohankova was last year’s Wimbledon junior singles champion, according to the WTA, and won the Wimbledon girls’ title by beating Julieta Pareja in straight sets in the final, according to Tennis Watcher. By 2026 she was competing on the main WTA hard-court swing, going 10-4 on hard courts across the season and reaching four quarterfinals before Tokyo, according to Tennis Watcher. A semifinal finish at a WTA 500 event delivers points she has not previously accumulated at this level, according to Tennis Watcher. For a player who only turned 18 last week, according to the Associated Press account, that progress is remarkably fast — and it puts her on the radar of every top player in the draw.
Semifinal awaits in Tokyo
Pohankova now faces a semifinal against either Diana Shnaider or Alex Eala, according to the Associated Press account, after the late quarterfinal between those two players. Whoever she faces, Pohankova will be the underdog on ranking but not on form. Her Tokyo week — Osaka, then Parks, both in straight sets except for the tiebreak against Parks — suggests a player who handles big moments rather than wilting in them, according to Tennis Watcher’s assessment.
