Alexandra Eala remains one of the outstanding exports from Rafael Nadal’s famed academy, having shot to fame during her sensational 2025 season.
There, she reached the semi-finals of a Masters 1000 event, appeared in and won her first-ever Grand Slam main draw match, and reached a tour-level final too.
Naturally, the legendary Spaniard was keen to outline his pride every step of the way.
Nadal even practised with Eala last year, seeking to impart his wisdom on the youngster who is seemingly creating history at every turn.
And, there are growing similarities between these two that extend far beyond their smooth left-handed game styles.
How Alexandra Eala is just like Rafael Nadal
Speaking to the ASB Classic just before she lost to Wang Xinyu in the semi-finals, the 20-year-old spoke about how she had been visiting New Zealand with her family.
Alexandra Eala admitted: “This is the first time all of us have been in New Zealand, so it’s nice.
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“The atmosphere is great. Obviously, a big Filipino community. I like the place, it’s very calm, very clean.”
When asked about her family, Eala then used it as an opportunity to explain how she was raised to control her emotions, adding: “Smashing a racquet is a big no no in my family. And if that happened, you’d probably never see me on court again!”
Interestingly, Nadal went his entire career without breaking a single racket, having spoken about this decision at length.
He explained why back in 2020: “My family wouldn’t have allowed me to break a racquet. For me, to break a racquet it would be to lose control of my emotions.”
It seems there are alarming similarities between what Eala said and how her idol was brought up too.
Alexandra Eala impressed at the ASB Classic
Whilst she was sadly beaten in the semi-finals of the ASB Classic, despite bringing up a match point, Eala should still leave Auckland full of confidence.
After all, she kickstarted her new campaign with a string of solid wins against top opponents, including a straight-sets victory against Magda Linette.
How high do you think Alexandra Eala’s ceiling is?
It marks the continuation of her form from 2025, which shot her to fame. The hope is that we will only see continued growth from this Filipino superstar in the coming months too.
Set to star at the Australian Open, before potentially heading back to the Philippines for her home tournament, the next few weeks could be crucial for Eala to build a strong foundation for a phenomenal year on tour.
