Review of the documentary 'RAFA': Nadal and enjoying suffering as a mantra

Carlos Navarro | 9 Jun 2026 | 14.24

This is the documentary about RAFA Nadal on Netflix. Source: Getty

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Not all of us can - nor should we - be Rafael Nadal. I am convinced that many parents have watched the 'RAFA' documentary, which examines, delves into, and provides unprecedented testimonies about the 22-time Grand Slam champion, thinking of finding a source of motivation for their children to eventually reach the heights that the Spaniard achieved. No one better than Rafa, the living proof of how going for one more ball, spending an extra hour on the court, and fighting a few seconds longer bring you closer to success, to find inspiration, even in everyday tasks.

However, the feeling is that this documentary is transparent when it comes to discussing the sacrifices involved in being Rafa Nadal. Even if you aim to emulate Rafa Nadal. Are there many people in the world capable of enduring training at 30 degrees Celsius without being able to drink water for the first hour? Are there many people in the world willing to live with a constant dose of anti-inflammatories for years to bear the pain? Are there many people in the world willing to live in elite sport with a congenital disease that eventually results in a marble-sized ball appearing, like an "alien" (as Moyá described it), in your foot? I don't think there are too many... and if there are, they will learn from this documentary that the toll to be paid is called anxiety, it will be very present in their lives, and, in a way, it will force them to sacrifice the well-being and health that 98% of the planet enjoys.

Insights offered by the Rafa Nadal documentary: finding joy in suffering and his battle against the world

There are few works that pay tribute to an athlete of such impeccable technical and audiovisual quality like this one. It is a finished product, carefully crafted, with a pristine cleanliness in its transitions, in mixing shots, in making archival footage coexist with the "behind-the-scenes" of Rafa's last year on the circuit. If there is something that Rafa and his fans can be pleased about, it is that the series becomes a perfect capsule of the essence of Rafael Nadal: the warrior who found joy in suffering, who thrived in the storm, and who decided, as he admits in the final chapter, to "push his limits" until it was humanly possible.

Before his body finally said enough, the series explores a career full of turning points. How to deal with Müller-Weiss syndrome. The introverted nature of a Nadal who finds refuge in Mary, his wife, and in Mallorca, his home. The fierce rivalry with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to extend his legend and how they fueled each other to perpetuate their legacies (perhaps the weakest point of the documentary: the appearances of the Serb and the Swiss are superficial, offering no more than praising Rafa himself, leaving a crucial part of why the Mallorcan kept competing merely as a footnote).

His relentless grit is his greatest legacy. This is the definitive documentary on an all-time great: Rafa Nadal.

Rafa premieres May 29. pic.twitter.com/Hz8aP8TEYW
— Netflix (@netflix) April 13, 2026

Is Toni Nadal the villain of this story?

The appearance of Toni Nadal deserves its own chapter, labeled by many as "the villain" of this story. The severity of his methods, his uncompromising nature in seeking solutions, his character and personality... a significant part of the audience has the impression that he is the antagonist that always gives value to an epic like this. Nothing could be further from the truth, in my opinion: Rafa himself acknowledges when talking about him that he wouldn't be where he is if it weren't for Toni, and the documentary takes time in its conclusion to highlight, on the day of his tribute at Roland Garros, the words Rafa dedicates to his uncle (not those dedicated to his parents, Moyá, or his rivals, no; only to Toni).

It is true that his parents suffered during his childhood. It is true that Nadal perhaps came to fear his uncle. However, the extreme competitive spirit of the man from Manacor is not understood without Toni's upbringing... just as his transformation in 2017 is not understood without Carlos Moyá's restorative arrival. After the darkest years of his career in sport, the relaxation in approaching work, in the time spent in training sessions, and even in the manner of receiving advice allowed Rafa to display the most aggressive, unburdened, dynamic, and spirited tennis of his entire career, experiencing a second youth that he fondly remembers. The freedom of not having to play that "one more ball," the historic dictate of Toni, what he always learned alongside his uncle, allowed him to fly freely.

Rafa Nadal's documentary is a eulogy that deserves applause. A work that may be the finest approach to the figure of Rafael Nadal. What made him so extraordinary was also what weakened him: what made him a fierce competitor also generated anxiety. Only in the end, with his son Rafalet in his arms, did Rafa find refuge, when he learned to accept that life is not only about titles, legacy, competition, and embracing and enjoying suffering; when health and quality of life take precedence over everything else. The Balearic understood this when his body said enough... but perhaps many, by watching him, will understand that it is not necessary to wait for such extreme signs to prioritize oneself. Thank you for the transparency and experiences, Rafa: if these minutes show anything, it's that you will be inimitable and incomparable.

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Rafael Nadal