In a special moment, Filipina tennis superstar Alex Eala enjoyed a rare practice session with none other than 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal.
In a heartwarming moment, 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal picked up a racquet once again—not for competition, but to share the court with Filipina star Alex Eala.
The tennis legend posted a video on Instagram, showing a special practice session with Eala at his renowned Rafael Nadal Tennis Academy in Mallorca, Spain.
“One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court. It was great to practice with you, Alex Eala! Next time I will be stronger,” Nadal wrote.
It has been a year since the Spanish legend played his final professional match at the Davis Cup, bowing out in a quarterfinal loss to Botic van de Zandschulp.
The curtain fell on a his legendary career that included 1,080 tour-level match wins, 92 titles, and 209 weeks ranked No. 1 in the world.
Eala, for her part, expressed her gratitude for the magical moment shared with one of the greatest players to ever lace up a racquet. “Thank you for today, Rafa."
[Screenshot | Instagram: @rafaelnadal]
The 20-year-old Eala, a notable product of Nadal’s famed tennis academy, enjoyed a breakout year on the WTA Tour, becoming the first-ever Filipina to crack the world’s top 50 rankings.
Her impressive run at the Miami Masters in March included victories over elite players such as multi-time major champion and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko, and Madison Keys.
Eala also reached the main draws at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open, while claiming her maiden WTA 125 title at the Guadalajara 125 Open.
[ALSO READ: Alex Eala’s 2025: A year of breakthroughs and history-making moments]
The former US Open girls’ champion is set to represent the Philippines in next month’s SEA Games in Thailand, aiming for gold after winning bronze in the 2022 edition in Vietnam.
[ALSO READ: PSC eases Alex Eala schedule concerns ahead of PH Women’s Open, Australian Open]
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.