María Isabel Nadal, sister of Rafa Nadal, has given an interview in which she reflects on her childhood in Manacor and the close relationship she maintains with the former tennis player. The commercial director of the Rafa Nadal Academy asserts that family ties have always been her priority.
Maribel Nadal, sister of legendary tennis player Rafa Nadal, has broken her usual silence to talk about the relationship she has maintained with her brother since childhood. In an interview, the Mallorcan businesswoman revealed details of her childhood in Manacor, where the family lived door to door. "Our grandparents lived on the first floor, Toni on the second and we lived on the third," she recalled, emphasising the closeness that has always characterised the clan.
The sister of the champion, who now directs the commercial expansion of the academy in Manacor, confessed that although she has always enjoyed sports, she never intended to be a professional. "I played football, I love practicing sports, but I never considered being a professional. I would say Rafa took all the good genes," she joked.
A childhood glued together in Manacor
Maribel explained that, unlike what happens in many families, Rafa always wanted her by his side. "Boys usually see their younger sisters as annoying or a nuisance, but he has never treated me that way. In his adolescence, he always insisted that I accompany him when he went out with his friends," she detailed. For her, that complicity has been natural, although she acknowledges that it may seem strange to others.
The relationship has transcended the family to become a professional alliance. Maribel is the commercial director and deputy general manager of the Rafa Nadal Academy, the high-performance centre that the tennis player has in Manacor. Under her leadership, the academy has expanded internationally, with locations in Kuwait, Greece and Mexico, and has strongly invested in padel, Rafa's favourite sport after his retirement.
More than a sister: partner and friend
For Maribel, Rafa's figure goes beyond titles. "He is my brother, my friend, and I will always be there for him, no matter what," she stated. The businesswoman, who trained at INEF and has a master's in sports management, has worked at major companies such as IMG or Banco Santander before returning to Mallorca to lead the Nadal empire.
In addition to her work at the academy, Maribel has developed her own fashion brand, Crabs Company, specialising in sustainable swimwear. With nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram, she maintains a discreet profile in her personal life, but does not hesitate to show her pride in her family and her getaways to the Tramuntana mountains.
The neighbours of Manacor know this story of unity well. For many, Rafa's success cannot be understood without the support of his sister, who has managed the tennis player's legacy with a firm hand. The academy continues to train young talents and, according to close sources, Maribel is preparing new projects for 2027 that will consolidate Manacor as a global epicentre of padel.
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