I think that since the first year people have responded very well and seeing the court with a very good attendance shows that the event is having success at a social level, thanks also to all the activities that are organised around the tournament,” Nadal said.
Before Rafael Nadal was a household name on the ATP Tour, claiming 92 tour-level titles and rising to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the Spaniard used the ATP Challenger Tour as a springboard to stardom, capturing two trophies at that level as a teenager in 2003.
Now aged 38, the lefty has welcomed the ATP Challenger Tour to his home base, the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, since 2018. Routinely held the first week of the US Open, the Rafa Nadal Open by Movistar has featured a host of well-known players in its short stint.
“I am really happy,” Nadal reflected in Spanish. “Over the years, we have had incredible tennis players like Andy Murray [in 2019] and Marin Cilic [in 2024], as well as other great players. As organisers, having the ability to organise a Challenger here at the academy is an important step forward and it is a great satisfaction that the players are leaving very happy and grateful.”
