ATP Tour

Nadal honours Alexandra Eala in heartfelt TIME.com tribute

Rafael Nadal penned a touching note about Alexandra Eala on TIME.com, introducing the Filipina WTA star as a part of the magazine's TIME 100 Next 2026 list.

Writing as a guest contributor, the 22-time major champion reflected on his long connection with Eala, whom he has known since she joined the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2018. Nadal recalled that Eala was the first player he shared a court with a year after his retirement, in November 2025.

“Alexandra Eala was the first player I shared a tennis court with after my retirement. One day, she asked whether I felt like hitting with her for a while," Nadal wrote. "For the first time in many months, I picked up a racquet and played again."

The ATP No. 1 Club member also shared that he has followed the Eala's career closely and highlighted some of her biggest achievements.

"I've been lucky enough to know Alex since she began her journey at Rafa Nadal Academy, and have closely followed her tremendous career," Nadal added. "At just 19, Alex beat three Grand Slam champion players at the 2025 Miami Open.

"This year, she won a WTA 500 tournament [in Washington], becoming the first player from the Philippines to break into the world’s top 20. And she still has plenty of room to grow. One of her greatest strengths is precisely her ability to listen, learn, and keep improving.”

Nadal closed his note by praising the 21-year-old's character and sharing that he will continue to enjoy watching her journey.

“More importantly, Alex remains a wonderful person—warm, approachable, and humble," Nadal shared. "It isn’t easy to handle becoming a true phenomenon at such a young age, and she deserves a lot of credit for keeping her feet on the ground. Now, all that remains is to keep enjoying watching her progress.”