Keys-slayer Eala credits family and Nadal’s academy for tennis success
Alexandra Eala, who defeated world No 5 Madison Keys at the Miami Open, has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy for seven years
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Alexandra Eala has been active on the WTA Tour since 2021 but truly announced herself on the tennis scene on Sunday by beating Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion and world No 5, in the Miami Open third round (6-4, 6-2).
Eala picked up a racquet at age four and turned professional in 2020, a couple of years after joining the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain.
“The [Rafa Nadal] academy has been my home for the past seven years,” the world No 140 said in her post-match press conference at Rock Garden Stadium on Sunday. “My family should take credit for the foundation that they laid out before they sent me there. But of course, the academy was able to build on that foundation in such a way that I’m able to be where I am now.”
The Filipino’s tennis journey began at home as she learned the swings from her grandfather, a club-level player who also trained Eala’s brothers and sisters.
“I got into tennis through my brother and my grandfather,” she added. “It started out as a way for me to bond. My parents knew that they wanted me to get into sport, and my grandfather was kind of like a club player. He would go to the club and just play with his friends. Then he coached my brother and a couple of other of my cousins. So I was the next in line to do that and to spend time with him. It eventually blossomed into the career I have now.”
Eala left home at age 13
Born and brought up in the Philippines’ Quezon City, Eala moved to Mallorca, Spain, at age 13 to improve her prospects in the racquet sport.
“It came as a shock because I was young. I was 13 when we made that decision, and it was a big decision for us. I think one of the deal-breakers for my parents was that they sent my brother along with me, so I still had family close.
“They did visit every once in a while, but it was definitely a big decision for me, for us. As soon as I heard that, I jumped at the opportunity because I knew that I had to get out of the country eventually to improve.”
The 19-year-old is on a roll in Miami as she defeated former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko in the previous round. Her next challenger is Spain’s Paula Badosa.
