Tennis fans are still recovering from Rafael Nadal‘s 2024 retirement from the sport. He has been on the court and part of our tennis lives for two decades so the goodbyes have been hard.
Thankfully, Nadal is giving us two opportunities for unparalleled access to his legendary career.
Rafael Nadal Pens A Players’ Tribune Essay
Nadal’s Players Tribune essay is called “The Gift” dropped on December 17. It is a fascinating read that takes fans through his entire career and spotlights the good and bad moments. He talks about his consistent pre-match nerves and the all-encompassing desire to succeed.
Nadal describes himself as a child in awe playing tennis with his future coach, Carlos Moya. He shares that he had no sports idols as a Mallorcan kid. Nadal’s humility was evident from the beginning.
Rafael Nadal also tells fans of his struggle to catch his breath on the court in some matches in 2015-2016.
In tennis, a moment of genius is not enough. It’s about repetition and perseverance. It’s never-ending. @RafaelNadal looks back on his tennis journey spanning over 20 years. In partnership with @Kia_Worldwide. #MovementThatInspires #Kia #Nadal #Ad https://t.co/ms7a1F6KZl
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) December 17, 2024
Nadal’s Netflix Documentary
Also on December 17, Netflix dropped a trailer for an upcoming Rafael Nadal documentary. Directed by Academy Award-nominated director Zach Heinzerling, the documentary is expected to show unprecedented access to Nadal and his family particularly in the final months of his professional tennis career.
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
One quote from it stands out. It says: “It’s the end of an era, but his legacy will be eternal.”
