Rafael Nadal and his sister Maribel showered praise on Alexandra Eala as she made history by winning her maiden WTA title in the Guadalajara Open in Mexico. The 20-year-old has been training at the Spaniard's academy since age 12.Nadal, one of the best players in tennis history, alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, boasts 22 Grand Slam titles, the second-most in men's tennis history. His dominance at Roland Garros remains unmatched, and he was given a grand farewell at this year's French Open, being honored with a permanent footprint plaque, immortalizing his imprint on clay.In 2016, Nadal launched his academy with the goal of providing high-performance training alongside quality education. Several players, including Casper Ruud, Iga Świątek, and others, have benefited from the program. At age 12, Alexandra Eala joined the academy under Nadal and recently made history with her first WTA win at the Guadalajara Open, defeating Hungary’s Panna Udvardy in straight sets.The Spaniard shared the news on his X handle and lauded his academy student, writing:"Congrats @AlexEala05 for your first @WTA. I am happy and proud of what you are achieving for yourself and for the Philippines."The 22-time Grand Slam champion's sister, Maribel, also congratulated Eala, writing:"Congratulations @alex.eala"Maribel Nadal praises Alexandra Eala; Instagram - @maribel_nadalEala also made history at the US Open, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a main draw match in a Grand Slam. She trounced Danish player Clara Tauson in a three-setter before falling to Cristina Bucsa in the next round.Alexandra Eala received praise from Rafael Nadal after her impressive run at the Miami OpenEala at the 2025 US Open - Day 4 - (Source: Getty)Alexandra Eala is enjoying breakthrough year on the WTA Tour. She received a wild card for the Miami Open and outclassed top players like Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Paula Badosa to face Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. She became the first Filipino player to defeat a Major champion in the Open Era and reach the semifinals. With that, she broke into the top 100, achieving rank 75 in the WTA.Nadal was quick to share his wishes for Eala on her monumental campaign. He wrote:"We are extremely proud of you, Alex. What an incredible tournament! Let’s keep dreaming!" (via X)The 20-year-old was then marred by a shoulder injury, forcing her to sit out of the Cincinnati Open and Monterrey Open.