Directed by Emmy winner Zach Heinzerling, the show covers Nadal’s life from age three to his 2024 retirement. It features unseen footage and new interviews with Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and John McEnroe.
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Rafa OTT release: ‘Rafa’ is a four-part documentary series on Netflix about the life and career of Rafael Nadal. The series is produced by Skydance Sports and offers unprecedented access to one of the most admired athletes of all time, a 22-time Grand Slam champion and 14-time Roland Garros champion. The docuseries is directed by American filmmaker Zach Heinzerling.
‘Rafa’ premieres on Netflix on May 29, 2026. The timing is deliberate. It drops in the middle of the French Open, a tournament Nadal won a record-setting 14 times.
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The release also comes just days before Nadal turns 40 on June 3.
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The documentary is a Netflix exclusive. It premieres globally on May 29. It is available to all Netflix subscribers worldwide.
The series follows Nadal from his beginnings at just three years old to his return to competition in 2024. It shows the evolution of a champion as well as the physical and emotional toll that shaped his path, as he faces what the series calls his most constant rival: his own body.
The show covers his injuries, his decision to retire, the arrival of fatherhood, and his farewell tour at Roland Garros, which ended in a first-round loss to Alexander Zverev in the very stadium where he won 14 of his 22 Grand Slams.
From his historic victories at Roland Garros to the rivalry that defined a generation of tennis alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, ‘Rafa’ revisits the defining moments of his career. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and John McEnroe all sit for new interviews.
The series consists of four episodes and combines unreleased footage with testimonies from people close to the tennis player. It is directorial of Emmy winner Zach Heinzerling.
Heinzerling spoke about his experience making the film. “With Rafa’s story, triumph is expected; what surprised me was his willingness to reveal the uncertainty and vulnerability behind that greatness,” said Heinzerling.
Nadal described the documentary at its world premiere in Madrid. He called it “an intimate look into what my career has been like, with details that were previously unknown and a touch of reality regarding what the life of a professional tennis player is like with various injury struggles.”
Nadal also spoke about his decision to participate fully. He said that if you commit to a documentary, “you do it the proper way.”
The world premiere took place at the Beti Jai fronton court in Madrid on May 20, 2026. Nadal was present with family, friends, fans at the event.
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