Rafael Nadal back on court: Retired tennis legend practices with Filipino star Alex Eala

Dubai: Rafael Nadal returned to the tennis court on Wednesday, a year after announcing his retirement, sharing a short training video with Filipino tennis star Alexandra Eala.

In a post on X, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said it “felt great to be back on a tennis court,” adding that he hopes to come back “stronger” next time. The clip showed Nadal running drills with the 20-year-old Eala, a student of his Rafa Nadal Academy who has since become the highest-ranked Filipino player in WTA history.

Nadal has long followed Eala’s progress, which began when she first arrived at his academy in Mallorca in 2018. He publicly congratulated her in September after she captured her first WTA title, telling her on X that he was “happy and proud” of what she has achieved “for yourself and for the Philippines.” Eala, who completed her training at the academy in 2023, reached the WTA top 50 this year, the first Filipino player to do so.

While Nadal did not confirm whether his return signals a competitive comeback, his brief update quickly drew attention across the tennis world, with fans welcoming the sight of the two athletes sharing the court.