{"id":35779,"date":"2025-03-25T02:49:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T02:49:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35779"},"modified":"2025-03-25T02:49:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T02:49:35","slug":"philippines-sensation-alexandra-eala-explains-her-transition-to-the-rafa-nadal-academy-in-mallorca-amid-making-headlines-in-miami","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=35779","title":{"rendered":"Philippines sensation Alexandra Eala explains her transition to the Rafa Nadal academy in Mallorca amid making headlines in Miami"},"content":{"rendered":"

19-year-old Alexandra Eala is making waves at the 2025 Miami Open, defeating two Grand Slam champions back-to-back.<\/p>\n

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Alexandra Eala and Rafael Nadal (image via Instagram @rafanadalacademy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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19-year-old\u00a0Alexandra Eala<\/strong>\u00a0has had a dream run at the 2025 Miami Open so far. Entering the tournament as a wildcard, she has upset two Grand Slam champions back-to-back, defeating\u00a0Jelena Ostapenko<\/strong>\u00a0in the Round of 64 and Madison Keys in the Round of 32, after defeating\u00a0Katie Volynets<\/strong>\u00a0in the first round.<\/p>\n

The Filipino has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor, Spain, since she was 13 years old. She fondly called the academy her \u201chome for the past seven years\u201d at the Miami Open press conference. Words of congratulations and support have been pouring in from\u00a0Rafael Nadal<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and his academy for Eala.<\/p>\n

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It was a shock at the time, I was very young, only 13 when the decision was made, but it was significant for us. One of the deciding factors was my parents, who sent my brother with me so I would have some family nearby. They visited us occasionally, but it was an opportunity I seized from the very beginning, once I knew I had to leave the country to improve. I remember starting to play tennis because of my brother and my grandfather; my parents just wanted me to do sports, but my grandfather was a club player. Then he coached my brother and a cousin, so I was next in line. That\u2019s how my career blossomed.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alexandra Eala on joining Rafa Nadal Academy, via Miami Open Press Conference<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

The Miami Open has also witnessed a sensational performance by other players from the academy, such as\u00a0Coleman Wong,<\/strong>\u00a0who defeated 13th seed Ben Shelton, and Jaume Munar, who defeated seventh seed\u00a0Daniil Medvedev<\/strong>\u00a0in the second round. Wong will face\u00a0Adam Walton<\/strong>\u00a0in the third round of the tournament. Munar faced defeat to\u00a0Gale Monfils<\/strong>\u00a0in the third round.<\/p>\n

Alexandra Eala becomes the highest-ranked Filipino WTA singles player<\/h2>\n

Alexandra Eala\u2019s incredible performance in the tournament has led her to ascend to a new career-high ranking of world No. 117. She has also become the highest-ranked Filipino female singles player in WTA Tour history. Eala has reached the Round of 16 of the Miami Open without dropping a set en route. She is set to lock horns with\u00a0Paula Badosa<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in this round.<\/p>\n

\"Alexandra
Alexandra Eala (image via Instagram @miamiopen)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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It will definitely be a tough match. Paula has been at the forefront of the world stage for a long time, so she has a lot of experience. She\u2019s a very good player. Regarding her back problems, I don\u2019t think I should comment on that, so I\u2019ll focus on putting all my attention on my own things tomorrow and continue to keep up the rhythm from the previous matches.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alexandra Eala added<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

The Spaniard has reached the fourth round after defeating\u00a0Victoria Mboko<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Clara Tauson<\/strong>\u00a0in the prior rounds of the tournament. Badosa had a hard-fought victory over Mboko and visibly felt discomfort due to her back injury during the second set of her match against Tauson. Eala called her opponent a \u201cvery good player\u201d and refrained from commenting on her back problems, as she focuses on putting all attention on her performance.<\/p>\n

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Sports runs in Alexandra Eala\u2019s family<\/h2>\n

Alexandra Eala hails from a family with a sporting background. Her mother,\u00a0Rosemarie \u201cRizza\u201d Maniego-Eala<\/strong>\u00a0is a 1985 Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist in the 100-meter backstroke.<\/p>\n

\"Alexandra
Alexandra Eala (via Instagram @alex.eala)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 19-year-old is the niece of Philippine Sports Commission chairperson and former Philippine Basketball Association commissioner\u00a0Noli Eala<\/strong>. Her elder brother, Michael, played tennis for the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions from 2020 to 2024.<\/p>\n

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The truth is, I\u2019ve never had someone to look up to, there hasn\u2019t been a Filipino tennis player who has achieved great things on the circuit in the Open Era or something like that, although I\u2019ve had many role models in my daily life, personally. Inspiration doesn\u2019t always have to come from someone big who did something for the Philippines. For example, young children in the Philippines don\u2019t need to be inspired by me; they can be inspired by whoever they want, that\u2019s what I did as I grew up.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alexandra Eala added<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Eala is a bronze medalist in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in both singles and doubles. Like any other tennis player, Eala aims to achieve a Grand Slam and believes that her progress at the Miami Open is a good step towards where she wants to be. In her junior days, Eala was the 2022 US Open girls\u2019 singles champion.<\/p>\n

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19-year-old Alexandra Eala is making waves at the 2025 Miami Open, defeating two Grand Slam champions back-to-back. 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