Learning from the best: Alexandra Eala calls upon the wisdom of Toni Nadal in New York with her serve the focus

Sunday, 30 August 2026 at 14:00

Alex Eala clinches her fist at DC Open final.

It has been long recognised that Alexandra Eala's weakest part of her game is the serve. It is an area that looks vulnerable to the naked eye with a lack of power compared to her rivals sometimes leaving her exposed. Ahead of the US Open, she has called upon none other than Toni Nadal to help her in this specific area of her game.

The legendary coach who oversaw much of Rafael Nadal's career was spotted with the Filipina sensation at Flushing Meadows with the tournament set to start imminently. Eala will have high hopes for a deep run, and will be boosted knowing that Nadal was by her side attempting to finetune her game ahead of a second venture at the US Open.

Originally a member of the Rafael Nadal Academy, Eala's roots have cropped up numerous times with the Academy based in Murica regularly supporting her and congratulating the 21-year-old with each achievement completed as she continues to rise up the WTA order.

Still being so young, there is a lot of expectation and anticipation surrounding the Eala game with there still much to improve as she continues to creep closer to the elite. Calling on Nadal is not a bad option to have with the 65-year-old happy to help out.

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While training on Saturday morning, Nadal offered some valuable and coveted tips about the serve in particular. This information will be most crucial for Eala who was taking everything in her stride. As she was playing a practice match, the Spaniard chirped in when necessary, giving his two cents from his perspective at the back of the court.

Toni Nadal was courtside at Alex Eala’s US Open practice today, offering input during her session. #AlexEala|| 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/pJK2LmGwSO
— Bilyamin..🦅🇳🇬 (@nigerianpapi_ng) August 29, 2026

Boost for Eala heading into US Open

Eala's first ever Grand Slam victory came this time last year as she took down Clara Tauson in a thrilling three-set battle as she became the first Filipino player in the Open Era to win a singles main draw match at a major tournament.

This is just one of the many accolades she has broken and now holds. The latest and most significant came at the DC Open where she went on a brilliant run, defeating some of the best players in the world ahead of taking down the World No.3 Jessica Pegula with a bagel third set to clinch a maiden WTA title.

Alexandra Eala holds racquet waiting to return.

Alexandra Eala will hope to continue her fine form in the US Open

Her ranking has also continued to climb. Reacting brilliantly after a slight drop in Miami as she defended that breakthrough semi-final run from last year, Eala has since climbed to a career high of World No.18, and there is potential for her to continue to climb deeper into the top 20 depending on her results in New York.

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She lost in the second round last year to Cristina Bucsa. This means that there are little points to defend. She has proven to be a brilliant player on the major stage before, most notably at Wimbledon where reigning champion Iga Swiatek was taken down in straight sets as Eala reached the last-16.

Her campaign will start against American qualifier Mary Stoiana on Louis Armstrong Stadium with either Oleksandra Oliynykova or Reese Brantmeier a potential second round opponent. An intriguing third round contest against good friend Iva Jovic is very much on the cards.

Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist

Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.

Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.

He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.

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