Ten years after launching a project designed to extend beyond the tennis courts, Rafa Nadal will once again play in front of an audience. The event will take place next Saturday, October 3, starting at 5:00 p.m., as part of the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor.
The winner of 22 Grand Slam titles will participate in a series of exhibition matches alongside some of the rivals and friends who were part of his professional career. This event holds significant symbolic importance: it will be the first time Nadal has played in front of an audience since his retirement from professional tennis in November 2024, during the Davis Cup Finals held in Málaga.
The names of the participating players and details on how to obtain tickets will be announced in the coming days. Availability will be limited due to the capacity of the Academy’s center court.
Under the name “Rafa Nadal Academy Slam,” the event will serve as the kickoff for celebrations marking a decade of activity at the Rafa Nadal Academy. Over the past decade, the project—which began in Manacor in 2016—has evolved into an international initiative that combines sports, education, and personal development, grounded in the methodology and values that have defined Nadal’s career.
The Mallorcan tennis player’s return can also be watched live on Movistar Plus, which will provide extensive coverage of the event.
A Decade of Developing Talent
Since its founding, the Rafa Nadal Academy has been committed to a model that enables young people from around the world to pursue their athletic careers alongside their academic and personal development.
The philosophy is based on an idea that Nadal has conveyed throughout his career: success is not measured solely by titles. Effort, respect, and the ability to overcome challenges are part of an educational model designed to prepare young people both on and off the court.
The team’s results also reflect the progress of this project. Players from the Academy have won 14 junior Grand Slam titles—seven in singles and seven in doubles—while five of them have reached the No. 1 spot in the junior world rankings.
The project’s impact can also be measured on the professional circuit. Just three weeks ago, seven players from the Academy were simultaneously ranked in the top 100 of both the ATP and WTA rankings. Among them is Alex Eala, one of the leading rising stars in international tennis, whose career is taking on an increasingly global scope.
From Manacor to the World
The growth of the Rafa Nadal Academy over the past ten years has not been limited to Mallorca. International expansion has become one of the project’s main pillars and has brought its methodology to various markets.
Currently, the Academy has eight locations around the world: Manacor, Costa Mujeres, Greece, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Marbella, Egypt, and Punta Cana.
An expansion that reflects how a project conceived in Manacor has gradually taken on an international dimension without losing its connection to its roots: training new generations of tennis players using a methodology based on the experience of one of the most successful players in history.
On October 3, the circle will symbolically come full circle in Manacor. Nadal will once again take to the court in front of the crowd at the academy that bears his name—an academy that, a decade after its founding, has become one of the main vehicles for passing on his legacy to the next generation of tennis players.
