The Rafa Nadal Academy accelerates its international expansion with entry of GPF Capital

Rafa Nadal takes a decisive step in his commitment to promoting values in sports and education among youth and adults worldwide, accelerating its international expansion plans by welcoming GPF as a shareholder, who shares the values promoted at the Rafa Nadal Academy and has a strong cultural and generational identity with Rafa Nadal.

The Rafa Nadal Academy, Rafa Nadal’s main life project, was launched in 2016 in Mallorca (Spain) and has since experienced exponential growth in both facilities and visitors, employing over 500 staff and welcoming over 100,000 annual visitors across its 80,000 square meters of educational and sports facilities.

Thanks to this growth, the Rafa Nadal Academy has become one of the world's leading education and sports centers, focused on training its students and athletes in the same values that have guided Rafa Nadal to personal and professional success.

Located in Mallorca, birthplace of Rafa Nadal, the Academy has recently completed the last phase of expansion of its facilities and currently features a student residence hosting around 4,000 youths annually, a 95-room and 10-apartments residence for over 10,000 adults who opt for participating in tennis training programs and an international school (Rafa Nadal International School) serving over 450 students from 45 nationalities, aged 3 to 18. The sports facilities include 45 tennis courts (indoor and outdoor), 16 padel courts, a football field, 3 swimming pools, a fitness center, spa and a sports clinic managed by QuirónSalud to guarantee a good medical follow-up of the thousands of tennis players who pass through its facilities. In addition, the Academy hosts the Rafa Nadal Museum, which includes a leisure area with numerous interactive activities, an exhibition with some of the most relevant trophies from Rafa Nadal's tennis career as well as numerous iconic objects donated by great international legends from other sports.

The partnership with GPF strengthens the Academy's international department, with the appointment of Carlos Costa as Director of International Development, supported by key figures in the development and consolidation of the Academy such as Toni Nadal and Maribel Nadal (Deputy General Manager).

"For many years we have worked to consolidate the Academy in Mallorca and to start being present in different parts of the world. I am personally very satisfied with all that we have achieved so far and that is why I am excited to start a new stage of international expansion hand in hand with GPF, who shares our values, vision and enthusiasm. I am convinced that this partnership will be a success that will help us accelerate the group’s growth," said Rafa Nadal himself.

"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. We are very excited to partner with Rafa to work together with him and his team to accelerate the international expansion of the group," said Martín Rodríguez-Fraile, founding partner of GPF.

GPF (www.gpf-capital.com) is a private equity investment firm founded in 2015 by Martín Rodríguez-Fraile, Ignacio Olascoaga, Lorenzo Martínez de Albornoz and Guillermo Castellanos. GPF currently has over €1.2 billion of capital under management between the GPF Capital I, GPF Capital II, GPF Capital III, GPF Capital IV and Inbest GPF Real Estate funds. All funds are funded exclusively by private investors from Spain, USA, Europe and 13 Latin American countries, offering unparalleled reach across the Americas for long-term investment development.

GPF has been advised by EY, Roland Berger and Uría Menéndez. Rafa Nadal has been advised by Broseta Abogados.