A Mentor’s Pride: Rafael Nadal’s Heartfelt Praise for Alex Eala
At the 2025 Miami Open, 19‑year‑old Alexandra “Alex” Eala of the Philippines captured the tennis world’s attention—and the admiration of her mentor, Rafael Nadal. As a wildcard ranked No. 140, she stunned #25 Jelena Ostapenko and then marched past Australian Open champion Madison Keys, but her crowning moment came when she took down World No. 2 Iga Świątek in straight sets to reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal
From Mallorca’s Rafa Nadal Academy—where she moved at age 13 and graduated in 2023—Eala has embodied the spirit Nadal instills: humility, grind, and mental toughness
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. Nadal took notice in real time: first cheering her win over Ostapenko with, “Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for 🇵🇭!”
, then following it up with soaring pride after her Swiatek triumph: “We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming!”
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A look at Reddit’s r/tennis captured the joy of the moment:
“Iga and Rafa look like 2 proud mom and dad. adorable”
For Nadal, this is more than a coach’s excitement. He sees Alex as the living legacy of everything he believes the academy represents—hard work, love for the game, and staying grounded. In an Olympics.com profile, Eala reflected:
“He’s really nice … He told me that it’s good that I surround myself with some good people.”
Nadal’s support isn’t just emotional—he’s actively shaping the next generation as a mentor, passing on the values that made him a legend. For Eala, it’s paying off. She’s now the highest‑ranked Filipino in history and the first to beat multiple Top‑5 players on Tour
