At A Glance
- Behind Eala's growth is her coaches from the Rafa Nadal Academy (RNA) -- her home over the past years -- that included Joan Bosch.
Alexandra Eala reacts after winning a point against Varvara Gracheva during the women's singles semi-final match of the Eastbourne Tennis Open tournament, at Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne, England, Friday June 27, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala has been making waves in the international scene, particularly with her historic feats at the Miami Open and the ongoing Lexus Eastbourne Open.
In Miami, she quietly rose to the occasion with her giant-killing ways by slaying Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek before bowing to Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
A few months after, she found herself in her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour final -- the first Filipina to do so -- after arranging a title match against Maya Joint.
Behind Eala’s growth is her coaches from the Rafa Nadal Academy (RNA) -- her home over the past years -- that included Joan Bosch.
“For me, it was a surprise to achieve what we achieved in Miami. I always knew she could be in the Top 100, but it all happened very quickly,” said Bosch in an interview.
“She’s a very intelligent person, very coachable, although it’s also true that everything goes very well for her,” added Bosch, who is also RNA’s U18 head coach,
Bosch played in the pros in the 90s before becoming a mentor to Carlos Moya, one of the Spanish greats and former world No. 1, during Spain’s Davis Cup stint in 2004. The two also worked together in several ATP events.
Alexandro “Sandro” Viaene is also instrumental in Eala’s progress, helping her improve her game and bolstering her preparations for this year’s season including the Filipina’s attempt to qualify at the Australian Open earlier this year.
She also worked with with Daniel Gomez during her early years, improving her consistency and mental focus, as well as perfecting her game and her physical conditioning.
Last Saturday, June 28, Filipina wonder Alex Eala had a gallant effort but eventually yielded to Australian Maya Joint in the finale of the Lexus Eastbourne Open at the Center Court in Great Britain.