Rafa Nadal Returns to Court vs. Alexandra Eala
By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy Facebook
Bologna, host of the Davis Cup Final 8, is the center of the tennis universe this week.
Mallorca may well be the next best place on the planet to watch top-quality tennis.
Rafael Nadal celebrating the one-year anniversary of his official retirement from tennis at Davis Cup by returning to court today.
Watch the King of Clay go toe-to-toe with talented Alexandra Eala, who delivered a break-out season this year and graduated from the Rafa Nadal Academy.
One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court!
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) November 19, 2025
It was great to practice with you @AlexEala05! Next time I will be stronger 😉 pic.twitter.com/XMHkkVvfWh
“One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court!” Nadal posted on social media. “It was great to practice with you @AlexEala05! Next time I will be stronger.”
The left-handed shotmakers traded some tremendous forehands in the video from the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Three years after she shot to success winning the US Open junior crown, a dynamic Eala made history again as the first Filipino player to win a Grand Slam main-draw match in the Open Era when she upset 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(11) in the US Open first round in August.
“I’m so blessed to be the first to do this,” Eala said. “Like I said, I take so much pride in representing my
country. It makes what I do bigger than myself, and it gives: it adds meaning to what I do.”
When Eala made her high school graduation walk at the Rafa Nadal Academy, Iga Swiatek was waiting alongside Rafa Nadal to hand Eala her diploma.
In March, Eala schooled Swiatek in a shocker.
The 19-year-old wild card Eala broke Swiatek eight times in 10 service games scoring a stunning 6-2, 7-5 triumph that will go down as one of the greatest upsets in Miami Open history.
Eala, who celebrated her 20th birthday on May 23rd, reached her maiden WTA Tour-level final on the grass at Eastbourne. Eala won her maiden career title at WTA 125 Guadalajara and finished the year ranked a career-high No. 50.
Hitting with former No. 1 Nadal figures to help her continue her rise up the rankings.
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