Alex Eala and Iga Swiatek had joint workout at Rafael Nadal Academy ahead of clay season

FILIPINA pride Alexandra “Alex” Eala and Polish ace Iga Swiatek reunited over the weekend in Spain ahead of their much-awaited campaigns in the clay season.

Both products of the Rafael Nadal Academy (RNA), the two tennis stars had a joint workout at their headquarters in Mallorca before trooping to Austria and Germany for the start of the clay season, which is considered as Ms. Swiatek’s pet surface with four French Open titles.

“Feels like yesterday, do you remember the last time?” said Mr. Nadal’s academy, also sharing the 2023 throwback photo of Mses. Eala and Swiatek.

Ms. Swiatek served as the guest of honor and speaker in Ms. Eala’s graduation from the tennis school of the Spanish legend back in 2023.

“Still can’t believe I have this picture with you,” added Ms. Eala, who arrived in Austria on Sunday, on the flashback photo of RNA along with their recent encounter. Ms. Eala, after reaching a career-best No. 29, in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, has slipped to No. 45 while Ms. Swiatek also slid to No. 4 from No. 3 ahead of the clay season.

The first order of business for the 20-year-old Ms. Eala is the Upper Ladies Linz Open in Austria, which the 24-year-old Ms. Swiatek however is skipping.

It will serve as Ms. Eala’s debut in Austria albeit the official draw for the main tourney is yet to be released pending the ongoing qualifiers.

Both will share the court in Germany for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany on April 13 to 19 and the Mutua Madrid Open in Spain on April 21 to May 3.

The Madrid Open last year served as the most recent duel between the two with Ms. Swiatek exacting vengeance on Ms. Eala, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Ms. Eala months before stunned Ms. Swiatek, then world No. 2, with a 6-2, 7-5 win in the Miami Open quarterfinals for a magical final four finish from being a wildcard qualifier.

That served as Ms. Eala’s breakthrough moment to enter the Top 100 with 390 additional points and qualify as direct entries to the WTA 1000 and Grand Slam tournaments

Ms. Eala, however, failed to protect those ranking points this year with only a Last 16 finish in Miami that prompted her fall in the rankings.

The two could have played in a trilogy in the third round of the Miami Open but Ms. Swiatek absorbed a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 defeat to compatriot Magda Linette.

Mses. Eala and Swiatek are expected to figure in more tournaments leading up to the Roland Garros on May 18 to June 7 in Paris. — John Bryan Ulanday