Alexandra Eala reveals how she feels about Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni's surprise appearance to support her during Iga Swiatek upset at Miami Open
Alexandra Eala has defeated Iga Swiatek in a stunning upset at the 2025 Miami Open, with Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni in attendance to witness her triumph. The 19-year-old rising star, who is a graduate of the 22-time Grand Slam champion's tennis academy, has opened up about how it felt to have Toni Nadal's support during her stellar win.
Having defeated the likes of Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys after entering the WTA 1000 event as a wildcard, Eala battled it out against Swiatek for a spot in the semifinals. The 19-year-old delivered a remarkable performance to claim a 6-2, 7-5 victory after a one-hour and 39-minute battle.
Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni was spotted cheering on Alexandra Eala from her player's box at the Hard Rock Stadium. He witnessed the 19-year-old's impressive triumph over fellow Rafa Nadal Academy graduate Iga Swiatek after playing a role in her training.
Joining Prakash Amritraj on the Tennis Channel after her win, Alexandra Eala opened up about how meaningful it was to have Toni Nadal travel to Miami just to support her at the WTA 1000 event. The 19-year-old disclosed that she had worked closely with the Spaniard during her time at the academy and expressed delight at the confidence he had in her.
"Well, I worked very closely with Toni alongside of course my coach Joan, Sandro, and the other people from the academy. It meant a lot that he showed up here. I know that he had to catch a flight but it showed the confidence he had in me and the confidence the academy had in me," Eala said.
During her post-match press conference, Eala also revealed that she had been unaware of Toni's plans to support her in Miami until the morning of the match.
"You know, I don't know. I also didn't know that he was going to come until this morning. Yeah, maybe you could ask him (smiling)," she said.
Alongside Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni, several members of Alexandra Eala's family also flew out to Florida to witness her continuing her dream run at the WTA 1000 event.
Alexandra Eala after beating Iga Swiatek at Miami Open: "My parents flew in last night... So a lot of extra motivation today"
During the same press conference, Alexandra Eala disclosed that, alongside Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni, her parents and other family members had also joined her in Florida to watch her triumph over Iga Swiatek.
"Yeah, my family, a lot of my family did fly in. So my parents flew in last night, and my uncle and my cousin from Seattle also flew in. So a lot of extra motivation for my match today. I really wanted to have them see me winning, but I know they'd be happy just to see me compete in this setting," Eala said.
Eala will continue to enjoy her family's support as she gears up to face Jessica Pegula or Emma Raducanu in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 event. If she progresses further, the 19-year-old will meet the winner between Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini in the final.
Following the Miami Open, Alexandra Eala will make history as the first player from the Phillipines to break into the top 100 of the WTA rankings.