Rafa Nadal couldn’t stay away. The Spanish tennis icon has been retired for the past couple of years, spending time doing the things he didn’t have time for. Still, he’s picking his racket back up for a special occasion, and is joined by one of his most emblematic rivals: Andy Murray.
In a video shared on Instagram, Nadal revealed that he would be returning to the tennis court to celebrate 10 years of his academy, the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy. The match will be celebrated on October 3rd, in his hometown of Mallorca, Spain, and will likely feature more surprises for tennis fans.
The video shows Nadal sending Murray a voice note, inviting him to the event. He talks for a couple of minutes, sharing how he didn’t want to interrupt Murray’s golf match and telling him some details about the event.
As soon as he sends the note, Murray sends a text back. “Hi Rafa! I’m in,” he wrote. You can check out the video in full below.
The event was announced back in September, with a statement published on the Academy’s official website. It revealed that Nadal would be playing various exhibition matches at the school, starting at 5 PM. The release teased more figures involved in the project, sharing that Nadal would be playing alongside some of the “biggest names in the sport.”
This marks the first time Nadal will be playing in front of an audience since his retirement in November 2024 at the Davis Cup in Malaga.
“The Rafa Nadal Academy Slam will be broadcast live on Movistar Plus, which will provide extensive coverage to ensure fans do not miss Rafa Nadal’s return to the court,” explains the website.
© Getty ImagesNadal and Murray’s friendship and rivalry
Nadal was a part of an exciting generation of tennis players, developing many exciting rivalries that formed into long-term friendships. Andy Murray, from the UK, was a key figure in his career, with the two playing against each other 24 times.
Nadal has the most wins of their encounters, leading 17 – 7. Their last official match against each other was at the Mutua Madrid Open in 2016. Murray won the match 7–5, 6–4. They both retired in 2024.
© Getty ImagesRead the full article here
