Serena Williams’ former coach says Alex Eala has a tough challenge with her biggest weakness
Rick Macci, Serena Williams’ former coach, shared his thoughts on something important Alex Eala might have learned the wrong way in her early tennis years.
Alex recently made headlines by becoming the first Filipina to win a WTA 500 title at the Washington Open, beating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the final on August 3. At just 21, she’s quickly gaining fans on social media and partnering with big brands to boost her income.
She didn’t rest long after her Washington win, playing in the Canadian Open where she beat Alycia Parks and Caty McNally but lost to Belinda Bencic in the round of 16. Next, she’ll play at the Cincinnati Open against Elena-Gabriela Ruse before the US Open starts on August 30.
Even though Alex is already in the WTA top 20, Macci—who has coached legends like Andy Roddick, the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Jennifer Capriati—thinks there’s a big problem in her game that could hold her back.
He posted on social media, saying it’s “almost impossible” to fix her serve until the off-season because it needs deep, science-based work with a biomechanist. He explained that while she looks smooth and relaxed, her leg drive doesn’t start the racquet’s movement at the right time, which is a common issue on the WTA Tour. Even with lots of practice, the timing won’t be perfect like Federer’s.
In another post, Macci gave more details, saying her leg drive timing is off, which slows her acceleration and causes her body to open too soon and her head to drop. He also pointed out that her pinpoint stance causes her back foot to move too far out, leading to over-rotation.
Since she’s a lefty, this fix could turn her serve into a powerful 115 mph weapon that stuns opponents—and help her win more matches.
But Macci wasn’t all critical—he also praised Alex’s strong and deadly shots from both sides of the court.