Rafael Nadal & Coco Gauff send touching messages to Alexandra Eala to help her cope with heartbreaking Eastbourne final loss

Alexandra Eala endured a heartbreaking defeat in the final of the Eastbourne Open on Saturday, June 28, as she came up just short in what was her first-ever WTA Tour final. Despite the tough loss, the 20-year-old received comforting messages from her mentor, Rafael Nadal and doubles partner, Coco Gauff.

Earlier this year, Eala made waves at the Miami Open with a sensational run to the semifinals, claiming wins over Grand Slam champions like Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek. Though she went quiet for a while after that, she found her form again during the grass-court swing in Eastbourne.

The Filipino came through the qualifying rounds and picked up notable wins over players like Ostapenko and Dayana Yastremska to reach the final. There, she faced Australia’s Maya Joint in a hard-fought contest. Eala gave it everything she had, but Joint ultimately edged her out 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(10) in a nail-biting finish.

Nadal, whose academy in Mallorca, Spain, Alexandra Eala joined in 2018 and graduated from in 2023, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a message for his alumna. He wrote:

“The first final of many finals, @AlexEala05!”

The Spaniard had also congratulated the Filipino a day earlier for reaching the final:

Coco Gauff also joined in to show her support, taking to Instagram to leave a comment under Alexandra Eala’s post. The American wrote:

“Congratulations,” accompanied by a heart emoji.

@cocogauff via Instagram

Gauff and Eala teamed up for the first time earlier this year at the Italian Open and made a strong impression as a new duo. Despite it being their debut together, they played some solid tennis and reached the quarterfinals, where they eventually lost to the eventual champions, Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani.

Alexandra Eala makes her feelings known after losing Eastbourne Open final

Alexandra Eala and Maya Joint pictured at the 2025 Eastbourne Open | Image Source: Getty

Alexandra Eala was visibly emotional after her narrow loss to Maya Joint in the Eastbourne Open final, struggling to hold back tears in the immediate aftermath. But she quickly gathered herself and stepped up to the mic, delivering a heartfelt runner-up speech.

Eala began by congratulating Joint on the win. She then shared how proud she was to represent the Philippines on such a big stage, which was a big part of why the moment felt so “emotional” for her.

“First of all, I want to congratulate Maya [Joint], on a great match and a great tournament. You did really well, and I think if I were to lose to anyone this week, it would definitely be you, so congratulations,” she said.

The 20-year-old added:

“It’s my first WTA final. It’s a big deal for me and for my country too. It’s historic, it’s the first time any Filipino has done anything. I guess that’s also why I’m so emotional, but you know it’s only the first. I’ll definitely work hard to do more.”

Eala will now turn her attention to Wimbledon, where she’s set to begin her campaign with a tough first-round clash against defending champion Barbora Krejcikova on Tuesday, July 1.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh