Rafa Nadal Academy celebrates 10 years of building Rafa Nadal’s legacy

19 October 2016 marked the beginning of a new chapter in Rafa Nadal’s life. On that day, accompanied by Roger Federer and numerous personalities from the worlds of sport and business, as well as authorities, friends and family, the 22-time Grand Slam champion officially inaugurated the Rafa Nadal Academy in his hometown of Manacor. Ten years later, that dream has become a reality that has extended far beyond Mallorca and continues to grow with a mission that has remained unchanged since its inception: to develop young athletes and help them fulfil their potential both on and off the court.

Over its first decade, the Rafa Nadal Academy has established itself as one of the most renowned tennis training centres in the world. Thousands of players, students and tennis enthusiasts from different countries have passed through its facilities, finding an environment where sport, education and values come together under a shared philosophy.

The project was founded with the aim of passing on to future generations the training methodology, experience and principles that accompanied Rafa Nadal throughout his extraordinary sporting career. Hard work, humility, discipline, respect and the determination to constantly improve have become the pillars of an educational model that views success as something that goes far beyond sporting achievements.

Ten years of shaping champions on and off the court

One of the Rafa Nadal Academy’s greatest achievements over the past ten years has been its ability to support the development of young talents as they progress towards the highest level of world tennis.

Among its most notable success stories is Casper Ruud, who arrived in Manacor in 2018 ranked World No. 143 in the ATP Rankings and, just four years later, reached World No. 2, having also contested three Grand Slam finals. His progress is one of the clearest examples of the work carried out by the Academy’s coaching team.

His journey is joined by those of players such as Jaume Munar, Alex Eala, Martín Landaluce, Coleman Wong, Abdullah Shelbayh and Alina Korneeva, among other talented players who have found in Manacor an ideal environment in which to develop their careers.

The results achieved at junior level also reflect the project’s growth. Academy players have won 14 Junior Grand Slam titles, seven in singles and seven in doubles, while five have reached Junior World No. 1.

However, the Academy’s true success cannot be measured solely in titles or ranking positions. Since its inception, the project has been committed to providing a comprehensive education that enables young players to combine high-performance tennis with their academic studies.

Through the Rafa Nadal School, students receive an international education that prepares them both to continue their sporting careers and to gain admission to prestigious universities, particularly in the United States. This educational model is one of the Academy’s defining characteristics and reflects a belief that Rafa Nadal has championed since the project began: the importance of developing people before champions.

From Manacor to the world: a decade of international expansion

What began as a sporting and educational project in Mallorca has evolved into an initiative with an international presence. Over the past decade, the Rafa Nadal Academy has taken its methodology to different destinations through the opening of new academies and Rafa Nadal Tennis Centres, extending its philosophy of sports development across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

The Academy in Kuwait and the centres in Costa Mujeres (Mexico), Greece, Hong Kong, Marbella, Egypt and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) represent some of the major milestones in this international expansion.

This growth will continue in the coming years, with new projects planned in Brazil in 2027 and Lombok (Indonesia) in 2028, further strengthening the global reach of an initiative that remains firmly rooted in Manacor, home to its flagship Academy. This international expansion has enabled players of different nationalities to access a training methodology inspired by Rafa Nadal’s sporting career and the values that have defined his journey.

An international benchmark for tennis and sport

The Rafa Nadal Academy has also become a meeting point for international tennis, hosting professional competitions, junior tournaments and sporting events across different categories throughout the past decade.

Since 2018, the Rafa Nadal Open, part of the ATP Challenger Tour, has brought some of the world’s greatest tennis talents to Manacor, helping to establish the Academy as a premier venue on the international calendar.

This activity is complemented by men’s and women’s ITF tournaments, youth competitions, national trials, and events that allow developing players to gain competitive experience in an international setting.

The growth of the Academy has also been accompanied by an expansion of its sports programs, with tennis and paddle training offerings aimed at children, youth, and adults of all ages and levels.

A celebration worthy of ten years of history

The commemoration of this first decade saw one of its most special moments on October 3, when the Academy brought together legends of world tennis for the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam.

Rafa Nadal once again took to the court before the public to lead a team consisting of Carlos Moyà, David Ferrer, and Richard Gasquet against a side captained by Andy Murray, which also included Marat Safin, Dominic Thiem, and Fabio Fognini.

The exhibition match allowed fans to relive some of the great rivalries and friendships that have defined the recent history of tennis, on a day that culminated in a victory for Team Rafa and a musical performance by David Bisbal.

The celebration was also marked by the publication of Building a Legacy, a 200-page commemorative book that retraces the Academy’s first ten years through its protagonists, its major milestones, and the stories of perseverance from the players who have been part of the project.

The publication includes an interview with Rafa Nadal in which he reflects on the origins, evolution, and future of the Academy, recalling the philosophy that has guided the project since its birth: “Our mission has always been to shape people.”

A legacy that continues to grow

Ten years after that inauguration alongside Roger Federer, the Rafa Nadal Academy maintains the same excitement and ambition with which it first opened its doors in Manacor.

What began as a personal dream for Rafa Nadal and his team has become a global project that continues to offer opportunities to new generations of athletes, students, and fans.