Photo courtesy of Rafa Nadal Academy The Philippine tennis star trains with Nadal in Mallorca, one year after his retirement. MALLORCA, Spain Filipino tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala shared a special practice session this week with 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, exactly one year after Nadal’s final professional match. For the 20-year-old Filipina, the session marked a symbolic return to the Rafa Nadal Academy, where she trained for years before rising into the world’s top tier of women’s tennis. A Filipina at the center of Nadal’s anniversary hit Videos released by the academy show Eala and Nadal exchanging long baseline rallies and laughing between drills on an indoor court in Manacor. Nadal wrote that it “felt great to be back on a tennis court,” adding playfully to Eala, “Next time I will be stronger.” Eala replied, “Back like you never left,” reflecting both her admiration for Nadal and the familiarity built from years of training under the same system. While Nadal’s anniversary appearance drew global attention, the moment placed Eala at the forefront of the day’s narrative as a Filipina who has become one of the youngest players to advance on the WTA Tour. A meaningful return to familiar ground Eala has been part of the Rafa Nadal Academy since her early teens, and the program remains central to her development. Practicing again with Nadal, now as an established professional, highlighted how far she has progressed from her junior years. Observers noted that Eala handled the rally pace with ease, absorbing Nadal’s heavy forehands and generating her own pace with confidence. The session reflected years of shared training culture and growing trust in her abilities. Nadal’s continued presence and Eala’s rising stature Nadal retired from professional tennis after Spain’s Davis Cup Finals campaign in 2024. His anniversary hit with Eala was not framed as a comeback but as a tribute to the sport, the academy, and the young athletes he continues to guide. That he chose to mark the day by training with Eala carried symbolic weight. It signaled her rising international stature and her integration into the elite circles of the academy community. For Filipino fans, the images offered validation that Eala now competes and trains among the world’s best. The practice did not involve trophies or ranking points, yet it resonated deeply. It underscored how Alex Eala has become a significant presence in global tennis, capable of holding her own alongside one of the sport’s greatest champions.
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Alex Eala trains with Rafael Nadal on anniversary of his retirement
