The former Mallorcan tennis player Rafa Nadal has sold 44.9% of the Rafa Nadal Academy to the fund GPF Capital. In an interview, he asserts that the operation aims to boost the international expansion of the project, over which he maintains control.
Rafa Nadal has broken his silence regarding the sale of 44.9% of his tennis academy in Manacor. The 39-year-old former player explained this Thursday in an interview with CNBC that the operation responds to the need for a financial partner to tackle the international growth of the project.
“The strategy was to have a partner that would allow us to continue growing,” Nadal stated. The 22-time Grand Slam winner emphasised that he retains control of the company, as “it carries my name and is a lifelong project, very personal to me.”
A Spanish partner for a global academy
The chosen fund is GPF Capital, a Spanish firm with which Nadal says he has “a great relationship.” “They are Spanish, we have a great relationship, and they are very professional. They are helping us achieve our goals,” the athlete assured.
The academy, located in Manacor, has experienced a notable growth in recent years. According to Nadal, this development made it necessary to incorporate a partner to make the international leap. “We felt we needed help to continue growing and expanding worldwide,” he pointed out.
For the residents of Manacor, the academy is a local economic engine that attracts young tennis players from all over the world. The fund's entry could translate into more activity and employment in the area, although Nadal did not specify concrete plans for the municipality.
Nadal, more in the office than on the court
The former world number one clarified that his day-to-day life no longer takes place on the tennis court. “In my daily life, I am more in the office,” he confessed. “When I need to talk to the kids, I speak with them, but most of the time I am in meetings trying to understand what our strategy should be to continue growing.”
However, he remains available for coaches when they require it. “I intervene when a coach asks me to observe a player or talk to him because he has a specific problem. I am always available,” he noted.
The former player also referred to ZEL, the hotel chain he is promoting alongside Meliá. “I have spent half my life in hotels and I know more or less what I like and what I don’t,” he said. The partnership with Meliá makes him feel “comfortable” to launch this parallel project.
The sale of 44.9% of the academy was finalised in February 2025, although the economic details have not been made public. The operation values the academy at around 100 million euros, according to market sources. The next steps include the opening of branches in Kuwait and Mexico, countries where preliminary agreements have already been announced.
For the people of Manacor, the news confirms that the academy remains a living and expanding project, bearing the personal stamp of its founder. “We are in the process of expanding worldwide and I am very involved in it every day,” Nadal concluded.
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