“Training with Rafa is something young kids can only dream about”: Alexandra Eala on special Nadal sesión

Alexandra Eala spoke about her recent training session with Rafael Nadal, an experience that stood out during her off-season preparations. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has rarely picked up a racquet since his retirement, having returned to the court only twice, both times to train with players from the Rafa Nadal Academy: Alina Korneeva and Eala herself.

The former US Open junior champion was developed at the Rafa Nadal Academy and continues to train there regularly. As part of her off-season, Eala returned to the academy’s base in Mallorca, where she shared a practice session with Nadal a few weeks ago. Despite his busy schedule, Nadal was closely involved, stepping back on court not as a competitor, but as a mentor. Eala, currently ranked world No. 53, described her role modestly as “just sparring.”

Eala has been one of the most active players on the WTA Tour over the past month. After finishing her season at the Hong Kong Open — where she was eliminated in the second round by Victoria Mboko — the Filipina committed to an intense training block in preparation for the SEA Games. That work paid off on December 18, when she captured the gold medal for the Philippines in Thailand.

Shortly before travelling to Thailand, Eala took part in the training session with the former world No. 1, marking Nadal’s return to the court in a coaching capacity. “It was special for me, obviously training with Rafa is something that people and young kids can only dream about,” Eala said. “It was such a pleasure to share the court with him. He gave me some tips on my forehand and a few other small pieces of advice.”

The 20-year-old admitted that, despite spending years at the academy, this was the first time she had ever hit with Nadal. “This is the first time I’ve ever hit with him in my life and it’s just a memory that will last forever,” she added.

Eala did not take much time off after winning gold in Thailand. After just one week, she travelled to the Macau Tennis Masters to compete in an exhibition event, where she played under the guidance of Li Na and faced Mirra Andreeva in singles, falling in straight sets.

Now, Eala is preparing for the start of her 2026 season in New Zealand, where she will compete at the ASB Classic in Auckland. The tournament will mark her season debut and serve as her only official event before the Australian Open, where she is set to make her first-ever main draw appearance at the year’s opening Grand Slam.

Eala has also added another exhibition event to her January schedule, confirming her participation in the Kooyong Classic. There, she will face Paris 2024 silver medallist Donna Vekic, former world No. 5 Daniela Hantuchova, and home player Priscilla Hon.

The traditional Australian Open warm-up event will feature a predominantly male lineup, led by world No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti, world No. 11 Alexander Bublik, and former world No. 13 Nick Kyrgios. Matteo Berrettini, Denis Shapovalov, Learner Tien, and Frances Tiafoe have also been confirmed for the exhibition, which will take place from January 13 to 15, the weekend prior to the Australian Open.