Rafael Nadal sweats it out on the court ahead of his tennis comeback at his academy: Watch

Rafael Nadal is back on the tennis court and the sight of the 22-time Grand Slam champion sweating it out in practice has given fans a glimpse of what’s to come. The Spanish legend returned to the training court at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor on Monday, working with two sparring partners ahead of his long-awaited return in October.

Nadal, who retired from professional tennis in November 2024he has not played in front of a crowd since his last appearance for Spain in the Davis Cup final in Malaga. Almost two years later, the 40-year-old will raise his racket in front of the fans again when he takes part in exhibition matches at his academy on October 3.

The upcoming event, called the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam, will be part of the academy’s 10th anniversary celebrations. Nadal will share the court with some of his former rivals and friends, although the full list of participants has yet to be announced. The event will start at 17:00 local time and will be broadcast live by Movistar Plus.

KING OF CLAY RAISES THE RACKET AGAIN

The latest training footage shows Nadal practicing his moves on court as he prepares for the exhibition. While this session doesn’t mark a return to the ATP Tour, it’s a heartening sight for fans who missed out on watching one of tennis’ biggest stars in action.

Nadal retired from professional tennis with an extraordinary record. He finished his career with 92 ATP Tour titles and 22 Grand Slam trophies, including a record 14 French Open titles. He also spent 209 weeks as the world’s No. 1 player.

His last competitive appearance came in the 2024 Davis Cup final, where Spain eliminated the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. Nadal announced his retirement in October 2024 after a difficult period affected by injuries, saying he was unable to play without restrictions.

For now, Nadal’s return is strictly for exhibition tennis. But his latest training session in Manacor means fans will soon get another chance to see the Spaniard in action – this time on the pitch at the academy that bears his name.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

22 Sep 2026 17:53 IST