Rafa Nadal Academy has shared a humorous photo reacting to Alexandra Eala’s surge in the WTA rankings following her incredible streak at the 2025 Miami Open. It captures Rafael Nadal’s pride in the new World No. 75’s achievement, a career high for the alum.
The 19-year-old played as a wildcard with a ranking of No. 140 in the world. Much to everyone’s surprise, she produced one of the most brilliant performances at the tournament by defeating a line of high-profile opponents, such as French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek.
Nadal’s tennis academy posted a light-hearted snap of him smiling holding out his phone to Eala and his staff. The post was captioned in a laugh-out-loud sort of way:
“Checking the new @wta singles rankings.”
The Filipino’s dream run concluded in the semifinals of the Miami Open in a close three-set battle with eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula, but her grandstand finish propelled her into the WTA’s Top 100 for the first time in her life.
Rafael Nadal’s protege Alexandra Eala on breakthrough Miami Open run
In Picture: Alexandra Eala during the 2025 Miami Open (Source: Getty)
In Picture: Alexandra Eala during the 2025 Miami Open (Source: Getty)
A graduate of Rafael Nadal’s tennis academy, Alexandra Eala looked back on her semifinal elimination at the 2024 Miami Open in a social media message.
“Wow, this year’s @miamiopen has left me speechless and so full of emotion, mostly pride and gratitude. I’m proud of myself for pushing through those tough moments, as well as to have been able to make a statement for the Philippines in one of the biggest stages of tennis,” Eala wrote.
Eala thanked fans for their support and recognized that even though her success has presented her with new opportunities, it also brings new challenges.
“Moreover, I’m thankful for all the positivity coming my way, and I pray that you all continue sending support through the highs and lows. Thank you for all the prayers and beautiful messages,” she added.
“I recognize that these two weeks have opened the door to so many opportunities for me, but along with those opportunities come a whole new set of obstacles I will have to navigate through. The real work starts now.”
Meanwhile, Alexandra Eala garnered congratulations from her fellow Filipinos, including boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Philippine President Bongbong Marcos, for her strong performance at the Miami Open.