Rafael Nadal set for surprise return from tennis in first match since retirement confirmed
ATPWednesday, 16 September 2026 at 20:30
Rafael Nadal will make a return of sorts to the sport of tennis in the coming weeks as he does something he has yet to do so far since deciding to hang up his racquet.
Nadal, who retired at the Davis Cup in 2022, has only briefly returned to tennis, although he is yet to even play an exhibition match since hanging up his racquet.
The Spaniard, though, has remained in public consciousness by appearing in his Netflix documentary, and now he will take to the court for the first time since then, as he will play a tennis tournament at his academy.
In a celebration of his academy reaching its tenth anniversary, Nadal has been confirmed to play a series of exhibition matches in Manorca on Saturday, October 3rd.
Nadal during his farewell.
The opponents for the King of Clay have yet to be confirmed, albeit the news came with the addition that he would be playing alongside some of the sport's biggest names. Given his status in the game and the fact most of his old rivals too are now retired, we could feasibly get some dream matches outside the confines of usual Grand Slam tournaments.
It will be the first time that Nadal has played in front of a crowd since the 2024 Davis Cup, which saw him retire from the sport after. He has made sporadic appearances since that point, mainly for ceremonies dedicated to his career.
The Rafael Nadal Academy was set up in 2016, when Nadal was still at his best as the way of breeding the next generation when Nadal would eventually retire from the sport.
Alexandra Eala trained at the Manacor academy, and her coach, now Juan Bosch, was found there. While Eala practised with Iga Swiatek even while at the academy earlier in the season, Swiatek has a link given that old Nadal coach Francisco Roig now coaches her.
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Casper Ruud, Jaume Munar, Solana Sierra and Coleman Wong have all also seen part of their development under the tutelage of the Academy. In recent years, the Academy has expanded. Manacor, Costa Mujeres, Greece, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Marbella, Egypt, and Punta Cana now hold bases for the Academy, and so it has grown into a worldwide export.
Nadal won't become a coach, but he has left his mark on the game this way. The Rafael Nadal Academy Slam is the next way to do that. It will also be shown on Movistar Plus, so those wanting to watch it will be able to. He has spent time playing golf but now picks up another racquet.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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