"It's great to have this feeling again after one year, on the training court with Eala," Nadal wrote on social media after the training session on 20/11.

Since retiring from tennis, Nadal has barely trained in the sport where he became a legend. The Spanish star primarily manages academies bearing his name, occasionally observing and guiding promising players like Eala who train in Mallorca. Beyond tennis, Nadal has spent most of his first year in retirement pursuing other sports he enjoys, such as golf and scuba diving. Last month, he participated in an amateur golf tournament with his close friend Roger Federer.

Nadal (right) and Eala after a training session at the Nadal tennis academy, Mallorca, Spain on 20/11/2024. Photo: ATP

In a recent interview, Federer revealed that some sponsors had contacted him and Nadal to organize an exhibition match or even a tour to multiple cities worldwide. Federer believes the plan is feasible, but not yet certain, as he and Nadal need to arrange their schedules.

Eala is a 19-year-old Filipino tennis player who has made remarkable progress this season, climbing from 143 to world number 50. At the Miami Open, she caused a sensation by successively defeating Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek to reach the semifinals. Eala then made her Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros, finished runner-up at the Eastbourne Open, and won her first WTA Challenger Tour title in Guadalajara (Mexico).

The teenage star studied at the Nadal academy from the age of 12 and graduated in 2023. She is the 2022 US Open junior girls' singles champion and a junior girls' doubles champion at the Australian Open and Roland Garros. Like many of her peers, Eala chose the Nadal academy in Mallorca as her long-term training base during her early career. Eala is currently preparing for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand next month. Three years ago, at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam, Eala won three bronze medals: women's singles, mixed doubles, and team. In 2023, the Filipino player also won a bronze medal at the Asian Games.

Since establishing the academy in 2016, Nadal has had considerable success in training young talents. His academy has been a launchpad for Casper Ruud, who reached three Grand Slam finals and was an ATP Finals runner-up. Jaume Munar, a member of the Spanish Davis Cup team, has also been mentored by Nadal and made significant progress this season, winning eight Challenger tournaments and reaching the fourth round of the Madrid Masters.

Vy Anh