The King of Clay made a successful comeback at an exhibition event to celebrate his Academy.

Richard PagliaroOctober 4, 20262 minute read

By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 4, 2026
Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy

Champions convened on court to celebrate the Rafa Nadal Academy’s 10th anniversary.

Twenty-two time Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal pumped up the party leading Team Rafa Nadal to a 4-3 win over Team Andy Murray at the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam staged at the Academy’s stadium court in Manacor, Mallorca.

The King of Clay looked energized in the exhibition event that came 683 days after Nadal’s final Tour-level match, a November 2024 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in Davis Cup play.

Team Rafa Nadal, captained by Nadal and featuring Carlos Moyà, David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet, was level with Team Andy Murray at 3-3, sending the contest into a decisive tie break, which was ultimately won by Team Nadal.

Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy

Two-time Olympic gold-medal champion Andy Murray looked extremely fit leading his team that starred Marat Safin, Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini.

The celebration also provided an opportunity to look back on the journey a decade in the making.

The Rafa Nadal Academy officially opened on October 19th, 2016, at an event attended by Roger Federer, among other guests.

Ten years later, the project has established itself as an international centre for sporting and academic development and has taken its methodology around the world. Today, the Rafa Nadal Academy has a presence in Kuwait, Costa Mujeres, Punta Cana, Greece, Egypt, Marbella and Hong Kong, with Brazil set to follow in 2027 and Lombok (Indonesia) in 2028.

Photo credit: Rafa Nadal Academy

The Rafa Nadal Academy Slam took centre stage on a day designed to celebrate ten years of tennis, education and values. The event revived an indelible image: Rafa Nadal with a racket in his hand once again, competing in Manacor and sharing the court with players who have been part of his story and with different generations of tennis stars.

But the celebrations did not end with match point.

After the matches, the fans who packed the stands of the Rafa Nadal Academy’s Centre Court enjoyed a performance by David Bisbal, who provided the musical finale to a memorable and festive anniversary day.