“One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court" - Rafael Nadal rallies with Alexandra Eala on anniversary of retirement

Rafael Nadal has returned to the court following his retirement from the sport. However, it is not a return to the professional game. He enjoyed a session with the highly touted Alexandra Eala exactly one year after his retirement.

In a hugely decorated career where he built up an enormous legacy, Nadal will be remembered as one of the greatest tennis players to step onto the court. He collected an astonishing 22 Grand Slams, with 14 of those triumphs coming on his favourite clay surface at Roland Garros, a setting he was practically unbeatable on in his heyday. He completed the career slam in 2010 after clinching glory in the US Open, joining the legends of the game. His final two Grand Slam titles came in 2022 where he won the Australian Open and a record-breaking 14th French Open.

He attempted to solider on but injuries eventually got the better of him. He announced that the final competition he would play in would be at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. He once more represented his country but was unable to get the better of Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Spain would later exit in the doubles, marking the end of what was a glorious campaign from the special Spaniard.

On the one-year anniversary, Nadal came back to the court with different motives. In a video he posted on Instagram, he was seen preparing to step out onto the court again. He tied his laces, re-gripped his racket ahead of walking onto the court. He would be sparring against Eala, who made huge strides in her tennis career at the Rafael Nadal Academy.

They took to the court and had some rallies, with Nadal enjoying himself, smiling throughout. Eala took full advantage of this opportunity, attacking the ball and sending a forehand past the 39-year-old before celebrating which Nadal found the funny side of. “One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court! It was great to practice with you @AlexEala05 ! Next time I will be stronger,” he wrote.

It has been an eye-catching year for the 20-year-old who resides from the Philippines. She started the year ranked outside the top 140 yet ended it in the top 50 after a string of fantastic results. The most unexpected and stunning one came in the Miami Open. She had competed in the event back in 2022 and 2023, losing out in the opening round.

Eala would burst onto the main stage with a scintillating run in Florida. She defeated former Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and most notably six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in a mesmerising run to the semi-finals. She found herself in a battle against Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals, where her incredible run eventually came to an end in a three-set defeat. Still, a run to a semi-final in a WTA 1000 event is pretty good going.

She would later make her Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros, the place Nadal had so much success. Into the grass season, and Eala looked to make more history for her country. She had become the first Filippino to make it inside the top 100 in the rankings, and was the first tennis player from her country to make it to a WTA final. She completed this as a qualifier in the Eastbourne Open. After a very close tie against fellow young talent maya Joint, a tiebreak in the third set was needed to separate the two. Unfortunately for Eala, she was unable to clinch the title after squandering four match points.

Her maiden WTA title would eventually come in the WTA 125 event in Guadalajara. She continued to make steady progress in the Asian swing, successfully climbimg into the top 50 for the first time in her career. At the end of the 2025 season, she ends the year as the world number 50. It is a bright future ahead for Eala, who has been touted by many to go far in the sport.