For a 13-year-old from the Philippines, walking into the same training facility as Rafael Nadal felt surreal. Years later, that same young player has become the first woman from her country to reach a WTA final. Alexandra Eala, who moved to train at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain at a young age, recently recalled her experience at the training facility and being starstruck by the Spanish legend.
How Did Training at the Rafa Nadal Academy Shape Alexandra Eala’s Career?
“To be within proximity of Rafa, to be so close to him and see how close he trains…players from the Philippines would die for that opportunity,” Eala told Town&Country in a recent interview. “You just have to make the most out of it.”
The Filipino star also appeared in a video for the academy’s official YouTube channel recently, discussing why it was a perfect fit for her development. “This is a place for someone to learn new things and someone to be exposed to professionalism in tennis to learn how to be disciplined and to learn how to socialize,” she said in the video.
She continued, “To be surrounded in this environment where everybody is working hard, you know it’s a place where excellence can really grow.”
The academy’s influence extends beyond just Eala. Ahead of the US Open, the Rafa Nadal Academy shared a post featuring its players who will compete at this year’s US Open.
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Eala was featured prominently in that post, showcasing how far she’s come since those early days as a wide-eyed teenager. The 2025 season transformed Eala from promising prospect to history-maker. Ranked No. 140, the Filipina received a wildcard entry to the 2025 Miami Open, where she pulled off the upset of the year by defeating World No. 1 Iga Świątek.
With that victory, she became the first player from her country to reach a WTA Tour semifinal. Her breakthrough moment came on June 27, when she became the first Filipina to reach a WTA final, defeating Varvara Gracheva in the semifinals of the Eastbourne International.
However, Eala’s North American hard-court season brought mixed results. At the National Bank Open, she lost to 2023 Wimbledon champion Markéta Vondroušová in the first round. The 20-year-old later withdrew from the Cincinnati Open due to a shoulder injury.
Despite these setbacks, Eala remains focused on the bigger picture. “The results that I’ve been getting have been cooking for years,” she said of her success.
“Short term, I’m just trying to maintain this level that I’m on,” Eala added. “I’m trying to take it week by week.” She continued, “Long term, I want to be number one in the world, but that’s a long way away. It’s important to dream big.”
Those dreams already seem more achievable than ever. Eala, with a career-high singles ranking of No. 56, is the highest-ranked Filipino player in WTA history and is also the first female player from her country to crack the top 100 in the rankings.
