Rafael Nadal is closely following the Miami Open success of Alexandra Eala, a graduate of his tennis academy. Eala, 19, has achieved a significant milestone at the Miami Open, marking a historic moment for tennis in the Philippines.
As a wild card entrant, the world No. 140 player secured victories against American Katie Volynets in the first round and then against No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, with a score of 7-6(2), 7-5.
Her win over Ostapenko is particularly noteworthy as it makes Eala the first female player from the Philippines to defeat a Top 30 opponent since the WTA rankings were introduced in 1975. She is also the only player from the Philippines currently holding a professional tennis world ranking, regardless of gender.
Nadal, who retired from professional tennis last year, acknowledged Eala`s progress throughout the Miami Open and publicly supported her after her victory against Ostapenko.
Eala, who, like Nadal, uses Babolat racquets, has previously mentioned the transformative impact of training at Nadal`s academy in Mallorca since the age of 13. Her career took another leap when she won the junior US Open three years prior. This victory significantly boosted her popularity in the Philippines, a country with a population around 115 million. She has since amassed over 126,000 followers on Instagram and graced the covers of magazines such as Tater and Vogue in her region.
Despite her rising fame, Eala emphasizes that the lessons learned from Nadal have been crucial in maintaining her focus on continuous improvement in her tennis career.
She once mentioned in an interview with Philippine broadcast network GMA that Nadal`s grounded nature, despite his immense achievements, is highly admirable and serves as an example for her.
Eala is set to compete against Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion, in the third round on Sunday.
Eala`s journey in the Miami Open continues to be an inspiring story of dedication and growth, fueled by the support and influence of figures like Rafael Nadal.
