What Is 2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open was a WTA Premier tournament held from October 14 to October 20, 2019, in Osaka, Japan. Naomi Osaka won the singles title, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6–2, 6–3 in the final.

Key Facts

The 2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open took place from October 14–20, 2019
It was held at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, not Osaka, due to venue changes
Naomi Osaka won the women's singles title with a 6–2, 6–3 final victory
The tournament was downgraded from Premier Mandatory to Premier status in 2018
This was the 36th edition of the Toray Pan Pacific Open

Overview

The 2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open marked a significant return of the WTA Premier event to Tokyo, Japan, after relocating from Osaka. Held from October 14 to October 20, the tournament featured a strong field of players preparing for the WTA Finals, serving as a key Asian swing event.

As one of the longest-running women's tennis tournaments, the Pan Pacific Open has been a staple of the WTA Tour since 1984. In 2019, it continued under Toray Industries' sponsorship and featured a 28-player singles draw and 16-team doubles draw on indoor hard courts.

Location shift: The tournament moved back to Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum in 2019 after being held in Osaka from 2008 to 2018.
Surface: Matches were played on indoor hard courts, a surface favoring powerful baseline players and consistent ball-strikers.
Prize money: The total purse was $825,000, standard for WTA Premier events during the 2019 season.
Player field: Featured top-20 stars including Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitová, and Belinda Bencic, despite some withdrawals.
Historical context: This was the 36th edition of the tournament, with past champions including Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams.

How It Works

The Toray Pan Pacific Open operates as a standard WTA Premier-level tournament, featuring a structured format for singles and doubles with seeding, rankings points, and prize money distribution.

Draw size: The singles draw included 28 players, with 8 seeded competitors receiving first-round byes to streamline progression.
Qualifying rounds:Eight players advanced from qualifying to join the main draw, competing for a spot in the opening round.
Rankings points: The winner earned 470 WTA ranking points, crucial for year-end standings and WTA Finals qualification.
Seeding system: Players were seeded based on WTA rankings as of October 7, 2019, ensuring top performers faced fewer early challenges.
Match format: All matches were best-of-three sets, with a 12-point tiebreak at 6–6 in any set, including the final set.
Player compensation: The champion received $127,000 in prize money, with decreasing amounts for earlier exits.

Comparison at a Glance

The 2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open can be compared to other WTA Premier events in terms of prize money, draw size, and ranking points awarded.

Tournament	Location	Prize Money	Draw Size	Winner’s Points
2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open	Tokyo, Japan	$825,000	28 singles	470
2019 Wuhan Open	Wuhan, China	$2,574,250	56 singles	900
2019 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy	St. Petersburg, Russia	$565,500	32 singles	470
2019 Dubai Tennis Championships	Dubai, UAE	$2,825,000	64 singles	900
2019 Nuremberg Cup	Nuremberg, Germany	$226,750	32 singles	280

The table highlights how the 2019 Pan Pacific Open ranked among WTA Premier events. While its prize money was mid-tier, it offered the same 470 ranking points as other Premier tournaments, making it valuable for players aiming to qualify for the WTA Finals.

Why It Matters

The 2019 Toray Pan Pacific Open had significant implications for player rankings, national pride, and the global tennis calendar, especially in Asia.

Home success: Naomi Osaka’s victory thrilled Japanese fans, marking her third title of 2019 and boosting her national profile.
WTA Finals race: The points earned helped several players, including Bencic and Svitolina, in their year-end Finals qualification bids.
Tournament legacy: Reinforced Japan’s role in global tennis, continuing a 36-year tradition of hosting elite women’s events.
Player preparation: Served as a key tune-up for the WTA Finals, allowing players to refine form on indoor hard courts.
Sponsorship impact: Toray Industries’ continued investment highlighted corporate support for women’s sports in Asia.
Media exposure: Generated extensive regional and global coverage, especially due to Osaka’s rising stardom and media presence.

The 2019 edition reaffirmed the tournament’s importance in the WTA calendar, blending competitive significance with cultural resonance and setting the stage for future editions in Tokyo.