Alcaraz channels LeBron in Melbourne, Nadal passes on Aussie Open wisdom to Eala as Collins joins TV broadcasts

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, following the first week of competition on Tour, celebrations for the early-season trophies continue. Elina Svitolina in Auckland, Aryna Sabalenka in Brisbane, and Hubert Hurkacz at the United Cup were among last week’s champions, who have kept sharing snapshots of the 2026 season’s opening moments across their social media platforms.

Meanwhile, Alexandra Eala and Rafael Nadal took part in a joint video looking ahead to the Australian Open, Danielle Collins shared photos from her new role as a television tennis commentator, and Carlos Alcaraz caught attention with his LeBron James tribute during training sessions at Melbourne Park.

Alexandra Eala and Rafael Nadal starred in a joint video to build anticipation ahead of the Aussie swing and share their thoughts as a new Australian Open approaches. The 22-time Grand Slam champion teamed up with one of the most emblematic players from his academy — the 20-year-old Filipina Eala — in an emotional video in which they contrasted Nadal’s experience, including two titles and 19 appearances at the Happy Slam, with Eala’s expectations as she prepares to make her main-draw debut next week.

“It’s always been a very special and important moment because it’s the beginning of the season,” the former world No. 1 said in the video. “The Australian Open has always been ready to make positive changes for our sport. You need to move differently from everyone else. It’s important to have your own personality, and then you can find your style.”

Meanwhile, former junior world No. 1 Eala reflected on her pre-professional memories at the tournament, where she won the junior doubles title in 2020. “Actually, what makes it special for me is the energy of the people. I feel like people have so much fun there, there’s so much diversity,” she said, before addressing Nadal’s comments. “Moving differently to me means being brave, doing things your own way and not being afraid to show yourself and be authentic. I’ve turned movement into one of my strengths, and found ways to turn certain weaknesses into advantages.”

Aryna Sabalenka shared photos from her days in Brisbane International, where she began the season in the best possible way by successfully defending the title she had already won in 2025. The world No. 1 lifted the trophy for the second consecutive year after defeating Marta Kostyuk in the final and has already headed to Melbourne to prepare for her next challenge: the Australian Open.

Sabalenka won the title at Melbourne Park in 2023 and 2024, but fell in the 2025 final, ending a 20-match winning streak at the venue. She will once again aim to lift the Australian Open trophy, which could become her fifth Grand Slam title. On paper, the Belarusian will enter as the favourite to repeat in Australia, having reached the final in each of the last three editions.

Danielle Collins shared several photos on social media after stepping into a new role in the tennis world last week: commentator for Tennis Channel, as she spends some time away from the courts. The former Australian Open runner-up joined television broadcasts while taking a short break from her playing career, recovering from injuries and undergoing egg-freezing treatment — a process that led her to step away from competition calmly, while making it clear that she intends to return sooner rather than later.

The 32-year-old flirted with retirement in 2024, but her outstanding season — which saw her return to the Top 10 and win her first WTA 1000 title — convinced her to reconsider that decision.

Hubert Hurkacz shared a heartfelt reflection after lifting the United Cup trophy over the weekend. The former world No. 6 was returning to competition for the first time in seven months following an injury that required surgery.

Against all expectations, the 28-year-old arrived in outstanding form, emerging as a key figure in singles play with four wins in five matches — including victories over two Top 10 players: Alexander Zverev (No. 3) and Taylor Fritz (No. 9).

“It has been a long journey since I played the last tournament. There were some ups and downs throughout this period, not knowing after the surgery when I would be able to start competing again,” he wrote on Instagram alongside photos of Team Poland’s celebrations. “I am forever grateful for all the dedication, hard work, patience and support of the people around me. It means so much to me that I am able to play the sport that I love again!”

Carlos Alcaraz has already begun training in Melbourne as he prepares for the Australian Open, following a brief stop in South Korea for the exhibition match against Jannik Sinner. The world No. 1 returned to the practice courts and caught attention by wearing a LeBron James T-shirt during his first session at Melbourne Park.

The 22-year-old Spaniard is aiming to win his first Australian Open title and complete the Career Grand Slam — a feat that would make him the youngest player to achieve it in the Open Era, surpassing compatriot Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz did not play any warm-up tournaments ahead of the first Grand Slam of the year, meaning he will arrive with limited match rhythm, despite winning the Hyundai Super Card Match exhibition against Sinner.

Elina Svitolina shared photos of her ASB Classic Auckland trophy, emulating what her husband achieved a year earlier after winning the same tournament on the ATP Tour. Svitolina enjoyed an excellent week, defeating opponents such as Katie Boulter and Iva Jovic on her way to the final, where she claimed a straight-sets victory over seventh seed Xinyu Wang. Svitolina currently sits at No. 13 in the WTA rankings and will travel to Melbourne in the coming days to prepare for the Australian Open.