Rafa Nadal and Ana Ivanovic headline emotional Rafa Nadal School graduation ceremony

The Rafa Nadal Academy hosted the graduation ceremony of its tenth class from the Rafa Nadal School, marking the completion of an academic cycle for 47 students from multiple countries.

The event brought together Rafa Nadal and former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, who served as godmother of this year’s promotion, continuing a tradition of high-profile sporting figures linked to the academy’s educational programme.

Ivanovic, a 2008 Roland Garros champion and winner of 15 WTA titles, follows previous ambassadors such as Toni Kroos, Pau Gasol, David Ferrer, Ona Carbonell, Ricky Rubio, Iga Swiatek and Carlos Moyá, while Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova participated virtually in 2020.

The ceremony highlighted the academy’s dual focus on elite sport and academic development, as graduates prepare to move on to universities and professional pathways worldwide.

Rafa Nadal used his speech to emphasise the role of education within the academy’s broader philosophy, underlining that tennis has been a vehicle for values rather than an end in itself. He stressed that the project is designed to shape both athletes and individuals capable of adapting to future challenges.

Nadal highlighted discipline, effort, and resilience as core principles embedded in the academy’s structure, linking them directly to his own sporting career and the learning environment created around it. “The important thing is to always keep curiosity, the desire to learn and the attitude of continuing to improve.”

He also placed strong emphasis on education as a long-term foundation, describing it as central to the academy’s mission since its inception. “If there is one thing that has guided this project since its beginnings, it is the conviction that education opens doors for life.”

That is why, from the very beginning, we wanted to build a school we could be proud of. A school capable of forming not only good athletes, but above all good people and great students, prepared to face any path they choose in the future.”

Nadal concluded his address by reinforcing the idea of lifelong identity within the academy community, extending beyond graduation itself. “As you leave the Academy today and begin a new stage of your lives, I would like you to remember one thing: wherever your future takes you, you will always be part of the Rafa Nadal Academy family.”

Ana Ivanovic addressed the graduates by focusing on the difference between natural talent and sustained professional success, drawing on her experience as a former world No. 1.

She encouraged students to approach future challenges with consistency and mental resilience. Ivanovic stressed that elite sport and life achievement are shaped more by daily commitment than by inherent ability alone, reinforcing a message aligned with the academy’s broader educational philosophy.

“People often think that champions are defined by talent, and talent matters. But after so many years in sport, I can say with complete certainty that it is not just about talent. It is about commitment. It is about hard work. It is about consistency. It is about showing up every day.”

She expanded that idea into a broader definition of success, linking performance to character and emotional stability under pressure. “The real goal is not only to become the most successful person, but to become someone capable of being kind, of staying strong in difficult moments and in easy moments, and of facing failures, pressure and opportunities with the same elegance and serenity.”