Rafael Nadal congratulated Filipina Alex Eala after her breakthrough victory at the Mubadala DC Open, where she defeated top seed Jessica Pegula in the final to claim her first WTA title.
After a lengthy rain delay forced the final to be postponed until Monday, Eala rallied from a set down to defeat Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Rafa praised the 21-year-old’s “incredible week in Washington” in a post on X.
“A well-deserved trophy for all the hard work,” he wrote. “Congratulations to the Philippines and to the entire Rafa Nadal Academy team!”
Eala has trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy since she was 13 years old and graduated from the academy in 2023.