Nadal Practices with Eala One Year After Retirement

Rafael Nadal returned to the tennis court for a practice session with rising WTA star Alexandra Eala at his academy in Mallorca, Spain, on November 19, 2025, exactly one year after his retirement from professional tennis.

The 39-year-old Spaniard, who retired following Spain's performance at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, shared a video of the session on social media. In the clip, Nadal and the 20-year-old Filipino player exchanged shots, showcasing their competitive energy. "One year later, it felt great to be back on a tennis court," Nadal wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "It was great to practice with you AlexEala05! Next time I will be stronger." Eala responded quickly on Instagram, thanking him for the day and adding, "Back like you never left!" Nadal's sister, Maribel, reposted the video on her Instagram Story with heart-eyes emojis, expressing her support for the reunion.

Eala, who trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy from age 12 and graduated in 2023, has credited the program with shaping her game. Nadal has followed her progress closely, offering public encouragement throughout her breakout 2025 season. In March, after Eala's semifinal run at the Miami Open, he posted on X: "We...