Eala raves about Nadal’s role

Alex Eala can’t help but credit all-time great Rafael Nadal as one reason for her meteoric rise in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour.

Speaking on five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova’s “Pretty Tough” podcast, the 21-year-old Eala recalled how the Spanish legend urged her to keep her circle small and surround herself with people she can fully trust.

“Surround yourself with good people. You don’t need a big circle. You just need a good one, a solid one,” Eala said, recalling Nadal’s advice.

“Tennis is an individual sport, but when you’re surrounded by people you trust, you can feel that they’re in it with you.”

Eala said the support system she has built since a young age has also played a major role in developing her mental strength.

“Looking back, I’m so, so grateful for that because I owe a lot of my mental fortitude to how I was raised and the training that I had at a young age.”

Eala has remained closely connected to the Rafael Nadal Academy, with coaches Joan Bosch and Toni Nadal among those who have guided her throughout her career.

Philippine Tennis Association board member, television reporter and former player, Dyan Castillejo has also accompanied Eala to many of her matches, while her parents, Mike and Rizza, remain her most constant companions after supporting her since she first picked up a racket at around four years old.

Eala is currently in China for the Wuhan Open on 12 October as she returns to the WTA Tour.

She will be making up for lost time after skipping the China Open to compete in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, where she snagged a bronze medal in the women’s singles.