{"id":35530,"date":"2025-03-24T04:17:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T04:17:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35530"},"modified":"2025-03-24T04:17:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T04:17:44","slug":"nadal-shouts-out-academy-product-eala-on-miami-breakthrough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35530","title":{"rendered":"Nadal shouts out academy product Eala on Miami breakthrough"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rafael Nadal has been keeping tabs on the performance of his tennis academy’s alumna,\u00a0A<\/a>lexandra Eala, during her WTA 1000 breakthrough at the Miami Open.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Miami:\u00a0Scores\u00a0|\u00a0Draws\u00a0|\u00a0Order of play<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Eala, 19, has made history this week for both herself and her home nation this week at Hard Rock Stadium with a pair of victories, marking a milestone for Filipinos in tennis. Given a wild card to the main draw, the World No. 140 defeated American\u00a0Katie Volynets\u00a0in the first round before topping No. 25 seed\u00a0Jelena Ostapenko, 7-6(2), 7-5.<\/p>\n

The win against Ostapenko made Eala the first woman representing the Philippines to defeat a Top 30 player since the beginning of the PIF WTA Rankings in 1975. She is the only player, male or female, from the Philippines to hold a world ranking in pro tennis.<\/p>\n

And as Eala’s worked her way through the tournament’s first week, Nadal, her idol who retried from tennis last year, is cheering the teen on from afar.<\/p>\n

After her win over Ostapenko, Nadal celebrated Eala’s latest breakthrough with a post on X, formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n

\n