Rafa Nadal’s experience key to Alex Eala avoiding ‘mistakes’ of other tennis stars

Alex Eala is set to square off with Amanda Anisimova in the round of 32 at the Cincinnati Open after she secured a walkover victory against Elena-Gabriela Ruse in her opening match.

The 21-year-old has been on a remarkable rise across the summer after she captured her maiden WTA title in Washington DC before reaching the fourth round of the Canadian Open.

As Eala’s star continues to rise, former world no. 4 Greg Rusedski believes she will not make the same mistake that several tennis stars have made in the past, with her mentor Rafa Nadal playing a key part.

The Spaniard is a mentor for the Filipino ace, having come through the Rafa Nadal academy.

Speaking on his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, the 1997 US Open runner-up addressed her busy schedule and how Nadal will look after her well-being.

He said: “I look at it like this — she’s got Rafael Nadal as a mentor; she’s been at the Nadal academy. She has been a junior world No. 1, and she’s got her coach, who does an excellent job.

“So, this is the ideal lead-up, Washington, Toronto; lost in her third match; now she’s playing Cincinnati. There’s a week off next week, so she’s scheduling perfectly.

Nadal had to battle hard just to beat Fritz but it came at a cost. Image: Alamy

“If she’s playing the week before the US Open, then there’s a problem. The nice thing with her coach — they can always go to Rafa, like [Iga] Swiatek did with [Francisco] Roig, and get that balance.

“And he (Nadal) understands that, because he’s had that in his younger career where he overplayed a little bit with uncle Toni, then he balanced it out depending with his age when he went to [Carlos] Moya.

“And I think she’s got such a good group of people from her agent, to her coach, to her physio, to having Rafa there, as well.

“She’s not going to make those mistakes, because she can balance these things off. And also she has a love [for tennis].

“She has to find the balance, because if you underplay, your body’s not ready. If you overplay, you hurt yourself. So, it’s getting that balance, and I don’t see that balance being missed out.

“So, I think she’s going to be smart; she’s looking at long-term. I just think she’s a ray of light for the WTA, and I don’t think she’s going to make the mistakes players have in the past.”

Rusedski is a fan of Eala, with this admiration coming from her attitude and approach to the sport with the former British no. 1 excited to watch her clash with Anisimova, believing it will be a blockbuster.