{"id":36836,"date":"2025-03-29T02:23:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-29T02:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=36836"},"modified":"2025-03-29T02:23:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-29T02:23:19","slug":"toni-nadal-speaks-on-why-he-has-so-much-of-faith-in-alexandra-eala-%f0%9f%87%b5%f0%9f%87%ad%f0%9f%92%aa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=36836","title":{"rendered":"Toni Nadal speaks on why he has so much of faith in Alexandra Eala \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udded\ud83d\udcaa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alexandra Eala, who graduated from the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2023, became the first Filipina to reach a tour-level semifinal.<\/p>\n

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Alexandra Eala, Toni Nadal (Image via X\/Tennis Channel, Rafa Nadal Academy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Alexandra Eala<\/strong>\u00a0has enjoyed a dream run at the 2025 Miami Open. The teenager was responsible for the elimination of three Grand Slam champions.<\/p>\n

Her first victim was 2017 French Open winner\u00a0Jelena Ostapenko<\/strong>\u00a0in the second round. In the following round, 2025 Australian Open champion\u00a0Madison Keys<\/strong>\u00a0was Eala\u2019s next target.<\/p>\n

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The 19-year-old then registered the biggest victory of her career when she toppled World No.2\u00a0Iga Swiatek<\/strong>\u00a0in the quarterfinals, denying the Pole an opportunity to inch closer to her first title since the 2024 French Open. Eala, a Rafa Nadal Academy graduate,\u00a0was battling with Swiatek in front of\u00a0Rafael Nadal<\/strong>\u2018s uncle and former coach\u00a0Toni Nadal<\/strong>, who analyzed the teen sensation\u2019s match and is expecting more incredible results from her.<\/p>\n

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She\u2019s a girl I\u2019ve always believed in. For us, it\u2019s an achievement because she\u2019s the one who\u2019s been with us the longest, training here for almost six years. During all that time, there\u2019s never been a single complaint, neither from her nor from her family.<\/em><\/p>\n

Toni Nadal said (H\/T:\u00a0Punto de Break)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n

Eala went to the tennis academy in Mallorca at the age of 13 and graduated in 2023. Swiatek was present during the ceremony and Eala also has a picture of her posing along with Nadal and Swiatek when she graduated from the academy.<\/p>\n

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She\u2019s showing her full potential. Beating the world\u2019s No. 5 and the world\u2019s No. 2 in the same tournament is no easy feat. Beating players of this level means that, as long as you keep improving, you can be among the best in the world.<\/em><\/p>\n

Toni Nadal added<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n