"Meeting Rafael Nadal and being able to speak with him regularly is crazy to me" - Alexandra Eala still getting to terms with regularly being among her idols

Alexandra Eala came flying out of the blocks before managing to see out a tricky first round match at the Rome Open against Magdalena Frech. She got over the line 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 after recovering from a break deficit in the final set.

After the match, she sat down with the Tennis Channel as she looked fondly back on her display. "I think I told myself that I wasn’t tired enough," she began. "I also told my team that I wasn’t finishing the points tired enough, so maybe the intensity dropped a little bit. I tried my best to give that extra push on every single point, and it paid off."

She said before the contest that these matches feel like life and death. This implying the ruthless nature of the WTA Tour. "Everybody is really good at this level, and anything can happen," she commented.

"That’s a beautiful thing about tennis, but at the same time, it’s a profession that keeps you on your toes and is very high-pressure. Every match is a different circumstance, a different situation. Sometimes one match can change a lot for you, especially when you’re changing surfaces. For me, clay isn’t my strongest surface, so every match feels like a real battle."

Playing tennis at the Rafa Nadal Academy in her youth, Eala knows how to play on clay prior past experiences. She is still trying to get used to the higher level compared to what she had faced in latter years, but she is starting to get used to it.

"I’m starting to build that relationship, especially at this level. I’ve played on clay many times growing up, but professionally it’s a different game," she acknowledged. "This is really my first season playing these higher-level tournaments—WTA 500s like Linz and Stuttgart, then the 1000 events, and of course French Open. I’m finding my footing, and I know I can do well. I’m a much better player physically and mentally than I was last year. My team and I have been working hard, and I’m really happy with how I played this match."

Her success has not gone unnoticed. After that Miami Open semi-final run last year, she has continued to make an impression on the WTA Tour. A final defeat in the Eastbourne Open was culminated by a maiden WTA title as she climbed into the top 32.

With her links to the Academy, she had the chance to meet the 22-time Grand Slam champion and even rally with him on court. That was a truly special moment. "Aside from the core relationships that got me here—my team—meeting Rafael Nadal and being able to speak with him regularly is crazy to me. Sometimes I’m even coached by Toni Nadal. If you had told me that when I was younger, I wouldn’t have believed it."

Her life has changed since her breakthrough last year, regularly among the starts of tennis on and off the court. "Off the court, I attended the Laureus World Sports Awards recently. I was surrounded by so many amazing athletes. I even got selfies with Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu. I was shaking when I asked. I also saw Nadia Comăneci—her speech was beautiful—and Simone Biles. It was incredibly inspiring."

It is now a routine sight to see Filipino fans pack stadiums to watch Eala in action. They were in for a treat with the 20-year-old completing a well-earned win. This popularity puts a lot of pressure on Eala's shoulders to perform and not let them down, but as well boosts her when on court.

"It definitely energises me. I want to give back as much as they give to me. But first and foremost, my obligation is to myself. It’s my journey, and I’m super grateful that people want to follow it. But I owe it to myself, my family, and my team to give everything I have—and the rest will follow."

On the ATP Tour, another young talent is having a similar impact. Joao Fonseca's matches will normally be full of passionate Brazilians cheering on their future talent. There are similarities between Eala and Fonseca, but it is not something that they have discussed together.

"Not really about that specifically," she clarified. "But I’m flattered to be compared to him. He’s a great player and seems to be handling it really well. Maybe it’s something I should talk to him about—it would be a fun conversation."

Eala could face the world number two Elena Rybakina in a very tricky third round draw. That, however, is still a long way away. She will face the 31st seed Wang Xinyu for a maiden third round appearance in Rome.