Rafael Nadal set for $94-million profit after selling part of his stake in tennis academy

The 22-time Grand Slam winner launched the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016 as a way to “give something back” to the sport.

Rafael Nadal continues to expand his off-court projects and business ventures, and now he’s set for a massive pay day after reports have emerged that he’s sold off part of his stake in his eponymous tennis academy.

The Rafael Nadal Academy was launched back in 2016 as a part of the Manacor-born tennis star’s vision to “give something back” to the sport by forming the next generation of champions in his hometown.

The Academy has undergone multiple expansions since then, including the addition of an on-site hotel—which controversially required an amendment to Balearic housing laws in order to receive approval—and has now become one of Spain’s largest sporting facilities.

“We had a very interesting conversation about a word that I think is very important: legacy,” Nadal said at a recent Academy graduation ceremony, recalling a moment with fellow tennis great Roger Federer. “How would we like to be remembered in a few years? How do we want the future generations to think of us?”

Visitors to Nadal’s academy include a who’s-who of top players looking for a training center—from the likes of Venus Williams to Casper Ruud and beyond—as well as promising youngsters who get to train and compete in an expansive world-class facility. Over the years, it’s also become a major international tourist spot in Mallorca, with hotel stays hitting €500 a night during peak seasons.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner also operates facilities in Cancun, Kuwait and Greece, managed by Aspemirm, a company led by his mother Ana Maria.

According to reports, Nadal has sold nearly half his stake (44.9%) in the academy for close to €95 million to a private investment firm named GPF Capital. According to insiders familiar with the deal, the transaction largely involves the transfer of a property asset from the academy.

Nadal launched his academy in 2016 as a part his vision to “give something back” to the sport by forming the next generation of champions.

A Madrid-based firm with over €600 million of capital under management, GPF first bought an undisclosed stake in the Academy back in November 2023.

“GPF is firmly committed to investing in education and sports as fundamental pillars of society, and no project brings them together better than the Rafa Nadal Academy,” said Martin Rodriguez-Fraile, founding partner of GPF, at the time. He added the firm will “work to accelerate the international expansion of the group.”

Last fall, flash floods and extreme weather in Valencia and the Balearic Islands resulted in extensive damage to the Academy facilities in Mallorca, requiring millions of Euros in repairs.