Netflix announce a new documentary on the ‘legendary journey’ of Rafael Nadal
The Rafael Nadal documentary will feature the Spaniard's historic milestones and the last few months of his career.
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Rafael Nadal (Image via X)
Netflix has shared a teaser for a new documentary series about tennis star Rafael Nadal. Skydance Sports produce the series and focuses on the left-hander, who recently retired. Nadal is one of the greatest tennis players ever, with 22 Grand Slam titles.
The announcement follows Nadal’s exhibition match against Carlos Alcaraz in March, called The Netflix Slam. In that match, both players won a set before Alcaraz claimed victory in a close tiebreaker. Now, Nadal will take the spotlight in this upcoming series.
The documentary will cover Nadal’s 2024 season as he returns to the court after missing much of the previous year due to injury. It will also celebrate his incredible career, including his 14 French Open titles, Olympic gold medals, and 92 career tournament wins.
He rewrote tennis history. Now it’s time for him to tell his own story. A Rafael Nadal documentary reflecting on the milestones that defined him and the final chapter of his legendary journey is coming to Netflix. pic.twitter.com/CakipWiypL
— Netflix (@netflix) December 18, 2024
Fans will get a personal look at Nadal’s life, featuring rare footage and interviews with his family, coaches, and close friends. Directed by Oscar nominee Zach Heinzerling, the series will give viewers a behind-the-scenes view of the tennis legend. A release date has not yet been announced.
Rafael Nadal admits he wanted to take a mental break before his retirement year
Rafael Nadal recently shared that he once considered taking a break from tennis for his mental health. In an essay posted online, he explained how he overcame those struggles by pushing forward. Over time, he said, he “became myself again.” This reflection comes just weeks after his final match.
Physical pain I was very used to, but there were times on the court when I had trouble controlling my breathing, and I couldn’t play at the highest level. I don’t have trouble saying it now. After all, we are human beings, not superheroes. Thankfully, I didn’t get to the point of not being able to control things like anxiety, but there are moments with every player when it’s difficult to control your mind, and when that happens it’s difficult to have total control of your game,” he said. “There were months when I thought about taking a complete break from tennis to cleanse my mind. In the end, I worked on it every day to get better.
Rafael Nadal said on The Player’s Tribune
The 38-year-old officially retired after representing Spain in the Davis Cup in November. His last two seasons were tough, with frequent injuries keeping him off the court. Nadal revealed that chronic pain in his left foot began when he was just 17. Doctors even told him he might never play professional tennis again.
In 2023, Nadal missed most of the season while recovering from hip surgery. The recovery process forced him to stay away from the sport he loves. In 2024, Nadal returned to the court but limited his schedule. He focused only on clay tournaments, where he has always excelled. It marked the final chapter of an extraordinary tennis career.
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Fahad Hamid
(646 Articles Published)