"Didn't know that he was going to come until this morning": Alexandra Eala watched on by legendary Toni Nadal during stunning Swiatek win
WTA
Alexandra Eala stunned Iga Swiatek in the Quarter-Finals of the Miami Open but was also left shocked as to who was there to watch her as Toni Nadal was in her box.
The uncle of the legendary Rafael Nadal, Eala who is 19 was trained by Toni since the age of 13 coming through the prestigious Rafael Nadal Academy and winning the 2022 US Open girls title.
The association with the great Spaniard brought her name to prominence and she has made history for her country this week watched on by the legendary figure who she said meant a lot that he had flown in special even though he won't see her semi-final.
“A lot of my family did fly in. So my parents flew in last night, and my uncle and my cousin from Seattle also flew in,” the world No. 140 said post match with quotes as per Express.
“So a lot of extra motivation for my match today. I really wanted to have them see me winning, but I know they'd be happy just to see me compete in this setting.
“And Toni also came in to Miami, although he had to catch a flight I think today. That did mean a lot, because I have been working closely with him for so long, alongside my main coaches from the academy.”
She also was left surprised by his appearance on site in Miami which acted as an extra motivation. "Didn't know that he was going to come until this morning," she said.
As ever she also received messages of congratulations from Rafael Nadal who wrote: "We are extremely proud of you Alex. What an incredible tournament, let's keep dreaming!"
She will hope to do so when she faces the winner of either Emma Raducanu or Jessica Pegula. They will face off shortly in the next Quarter-Final of the 2025 Miami Open.
👏🏻 We are extremely proud of you, Alex.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 26, 2025
What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming! 💪🏼 https://t.co/OlQXYRjO4f
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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