We’ve just watched the new RAFA documentary and we had a lot of expectations for this one!
Overall, it’s a great documentary, an emotionally charged tribute to one of the biggest icons in sports, not only tennis. It gives a very intimate look at the man behind the legendary status and all the titles. The four episode series moves well beyond the typical sports documentaries, and focuses a lot on the human cost of achieving greatness rather than simply celebrating a big collection of trophies.
Rafa’s physical suffering
What makes the series interesting is its brutal honesty of the physical suffering Rafa endured. How close his career came to an abrupt end multiple times (starting as early as his teenage years) due to a rare, degenerative foot condition. Watching him navigate a career defined by constant physical agony, reliant on strong painkillers and special insoles (that later triggered secondary injuries), was almost shocking.
It becomes clear that his famous grit came from a deep-seated vulnerability. His intense training and famous court rituals weren’t born out of nothing, but sort of functioned as a survival mechanisms to quiet the self-doubt and anxiety that he also had to deal with.
Uncle Toni
A massive driver of this unbelievable work ethic was his uncle Toni. The documentary shows how their unique bond allowed Toni to demand a crazy level of sacrifice and discipline from a young Rafa, a standard so intense it likely saved his career from all the physical setbacks that later threatened it.
It’s incredible to watch Rafa’s work ethic, already from a young age, and his ability to suffer and just keep going whatever happens.
It’s clear that without Toni, Rafa would not have gone this far in his career. Most likely, his uncle was even tougher than what we could gather from this documentary…
Rafa even mentions in the series that if he hadn’t pushed his body to the limit and at times taken extreme risks (going against doctors advice), he might have won 10-12 fewer Grand Slams.
What’s missing?
Well, it’s hard to capture everything in just four episodes and it’s clear the focus here was on what we already went through above.
It would have been interesting to learn more details about his on-court tactics for example, especially against the biggest rivals, but also for other players on tour. Were there certain player types he found it tougher to go up against? How different were his tournament preparations compared to other players?
Obviously, we would have loved a few insights in his gear specs and adjustments throughout his career, but it might be asking for too much :)
I think it was also slightly dramatic in the sense that it seemed his life was either on top, when winning a major tournament, or almost in despair like a robot of suffering, when we all know Rafa was a really fun guy and loved among players on the tour.
Additionally, the narrative timeline feels incomplete in parts. The legendary rivalry with Roger Federer is largely dropped after 2008, skipping iconic later chapters of their rivalry and also many other big achievements. It also does not show how the relationship with Djokovic changed during the years to a deep respect after retirement.
A must-watch
At the end of the day, RAFA is just an incredible look at what true resilience and humility actually mean, and it’s a must-watch for any tennis fan.
It’s fantastic to see how a guy could become a global legend while his own body was trying to stop him. It’s emotional and truly inspiring, and it perfectly shows why everyone respects Nadal so much, not just as a player, but as a person.
Read more about Nadal and his racquet.
