Alexandra “Alex” Eala is making waves at the Miami Open. The 19-year-old pulled off a massive upset in the second round, taking down World No. 25 and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets, 7-6(2), 7-5. It was a historic win—her first against a top-30 opponent—and it punched her ticket to the Round of 32. The Filipino sensation is proving she belongs on the big stage. But who’s the coach guiding her through this breakthrough moment?

Eala turned pro in March 2020, and since then, she has stacked up five ITF singles titles and three doubles titles. Her steady rise reached a milestone on January 27, 2025, when she climbed to a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 134—the highest ever for a Filipino.

Since 2018, Eala has trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain, a top-tier facility founded by Rafael Nadal himself. The experience has been life-changing. “It just brought a whole different level to my game,” the 19-year-old once said. “I don’t know where I would be without going there. It was such a huge turning point in my life, and I’m just super grateful.”

For the 2025 season, Eala made an important coaching switch. She began pre-season training with Alexandro “Sandro” Viaene, another coach from the Rafa Nadal Academy. Viaene pushed her through an intense training block. “The pre-season of Alex was very good. We were practicing for two weeks, with double tennis sessions and double fitness sessions—double fitness sessions and double tennis sessions—so the days were long, but we were very productive, and we are very happy,” he told ABS-CBN News. Not much personal information about Viaene is available in the public domain, but he has been working with Eala for a couple of months now.

Before Viaene, Eala worked with Daniel Gomez, also from the Academy. Gomez had high praise for her work ethic. “The biggest difference between Asians and Europeans is discipline. They (Asians) are all ready to listen. They are hungry to learn from every coach,” he once said. That hunger for improvement is what keeps Eala climbing the ranks.

Of course, Rafael Nadal himself has played a role in shaping her game. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has been a huge influence on Eala’s career.

Alexandra Eala reveals the impact Rafael Nadal had on her

The Rafa Nadal Academy is more than just a training center. It’s a powerhouse for young talent, led by Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle and longtime coach. The Spanish legend is deeply involved, often hitting the court with academy players and offering his wisdom.

For Eala, learning from Nadal is a dream come true. She’s a self-proclaimed fangirl of the King of Clay. “He’s someone with so much knowledge and so much experience on the tour so I’ve learned a lot from him,” she told Olympics.com. Eala admires Nadal’s mindset just as much as his skill. “His focus and his mental composure” are what make him stand out, according to the Filipino.

Nadal’s humility is another trait she deeply respects. “He is so grounded and he has achieved more than anything I could dream of,” she told GMA. “And the fact that he is still so nice to everyone around here is very admirable from him.”

Even Nadal himself took notice of Eala’s Miami Open heroics. After she stunned Ostapenko, he gave her a shoutout on X. “Congratulations Alex! What a great win for you and for [the Philippines],” Nadal wrote. That’s high praise from one of the sport’s greatest players.

But Alexandria Eala’s journey in Miami isn’t over yet. She now faces World No. 5 Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, in the next round. It’s a daunting task but can she pull off another upset and keep her Miami magic alive?