Skip to Content
Racquet home
Racquet home
Log In
Features

Rafa Returns, in Four Parts

RAFA, a four-part documentary on the most reserved member of the Big Three, is out on Netflix. By director Zach Heinzerling, the series airs a side of Rafael Nadal that he rarely showed during his 24 years on the pro tour, but that many of us suspected, or hoped, was there all along. Racquet sat down with Heinzerling to talk about his unprecedented access, and how he was able to tease out the Rafa we now find on the screen.

9:20 AM EDT on May 29, 2026

Racquet: Everyone knows Rafa Nadal the athlete. But when you first agreed to make a series about him, what was the version of Rafa you were actually looking for?

Zach Heinzerling: The first question was relatively simple: who is Rafa beyond all the achievements? He’s one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, but very little is actually known about his inner life. Who is he off the court? What motivates him?