Rafa Nadal Academy Student Seeks Police Help After Being Targeted with Racist Abuse in Madrid

Abdullah Shelbayh joined Rafael Nadal's academy in Mallorca back in 2018.

Rafa Nadal Academy Student Seeks Police Help After Being Targeted with Racist Abuse in Madrid

Abdullah Shelbayh, a student of the Rafa Nadal Academy, was targeted with abuse (Image via Instagram/Rafa Nadal Academy, X/Advantage Tennis)

In Short
  • Abdullah Shelbayh faced racist abuse from fans during a match at a Challenger event in Madrid.
  • He reported the incidents to the chair umpire and police intervened, arresting one heckler.
  • The abuse stemmed from a misunderstanding of the Jordanian flag, leading to offensive remarks related to Israeli politics.

Police showed up at a Challenger event in Madrid because Abdullah Shelbayh, also a student of the Rafa Nadal Academy, was subjected to racist abuse by a group of fans during his opening-round match against Zsombor Piros. After defeating Alexander Donski in the first qualifying match, Shelbayh handed the walkover to Oriol Roca Batalla.

But he grabbed a spot in the main draw as a lucky loser. During his 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 defeat to Piros, Shelbayh was targeted with racist insults from fans near the court. In a video that has emerged on social media, Shelbayh, while he was trailing 3-0 in the third set, approached the chair umpire and complained about the threats from those individuals. Shelbayh asked the umpire to remove the hecklers.

Several local media reported that the reason the hecklers interrupted his match was that they confused the Jordanian flag with that of Palestine. And because of this, the hecklers’ remarks had references to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Shelbayh, ranked No.300, achieved his career-best ranking of No.181 in 2024. The previous year, he competed in the Next Gen ATP Finals. He has a 3-12 win-loss record in tour-level events.

Back in 2018, Shelbayh moved to Mallorca to join Rafael Nadal‘s academy. Shelbayh has never played a main-draw match in Grand Slam events but twice featured in the qualifying rounds (at the 2024 Australian Open and the US Open the same year).

In the Masters 1000s, the 22-year-old made his qualifying debut at the 2023 Miami Open and played his first main-draw match at this level at the 2023 Madrid Open, losing his first-round match to Pedro Cachin in straight sets.

The Jordanian ace has lifted five singles titles from seven finals in combined Challengers and ITF events. The last time he won a title was at the 2025 Las Vegas Challenger by beating Alex Rybakov.

Kim Clijsters reacts to Iga Swiatek’s training session with Rafael Nadal at his academy

Iga Swiatek had a slow start to the season, and to regain her form, she flew to Mallorca to train at Rafael Nadal’s academy. Clips of Swiatek practicing and picking her idol’s brains have already gone viral on social media, and her WTA rivals are anticipating Swiatek to bounce back stronger than ever. Former player Kim Clijsters has now given her reaction to the same.

Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek
Rafael Nadal, Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Rafael Nadal, The Tennis Letter)

We’ve seen some images of Iga training at Rafa’s academy, and the intensity is definitely there, even in the short little clips. But what an experience, to be able to be on court with Rafa, and to get to pick his brains, on one of the stages that for him was such a big part of his career. I’m just curious. I’m sure there are going to be plenty of journalists asking her what that was like, and soon, I think we will get to hear some personal comments from her.

Kim Clijsters said on her Love All podcast

Swiatek hired Nadal’s former coach, Francisco Roig, after parting ways with Belgian coach Wim Fissette, under whom she lifted the 2025 Wimbledon.

We will see where it goes, but it’s exciting to see her playing well, and focused, and having that energy that she brings, and at the same time, can still enjoy it, because I do feel like the enjoyment was missing a little bit, these last few tournaments.

Kim Clijsters added

Swiatek will return to action at the Stuttgart Open to bid for her third title in the tournament. She has yet to reach a final on her favorite surface, clay, since winning her fourth Roland Garros title back in 2024.

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