Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal are set to face off on Saturday in a special event that could see the pair return to the tennis court. Both men have retired from the sport in the last couple of years, with Murray waving goodbye at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he played in the doubles draw alongside Dan Evans.
Nadal stayed a tad longer, sticking around for the 2024 Davis Cup finals in Malaga, where he was defeated by the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp. Murray has taken a step into the coaching side of the sport, overseeing former rival Novak Djokovic from November 2024 until May 2025, before the Briton turned his attentions to Jack Draper earlier this year. Nadal has not yet moved into the players’ box, but he does still have a hands-on role at his tennis facility in Manacor, Mallorca.
Anniversary Event at the Academy
That is where this anticipated comeback talk has come from, with the Rafael Nadal Academy celebrating its ten-year anniversary this Saturday, October 3. In a video posted on social media, Nadal challenged Murray to a “golf match” before his visit to mark the occasion at the ‘Rafa Nadal Academy Slam’.
"I know you've been practising a lot, almost like a professional. I can't practise as much as you, but I think I can still be competitive," the Spaniard said. "Maybe you can bring some of your friends and I can bring some of mine, and we can have a team competition here at the academy to celebrate the anniversary."
Teams and Possible Showdown
The pair will head up ‘Team Rafa’ and ‘Team Murray’ this weekend, in what will be Murray’s third trip to the academy. The Scot underwent a training session in Mallorca back in 2016, before he returned for the ‘Rafa Nadal Open’ three years later.
Both men are listed in the four-strong teams, so there is a possibility that the two legends could face off on the Spanish clay. The two have not played against each other since the Madrid Masters back in 2016, where Murray emerged victorious with a surprise 7-5 6-4 victory.
‘Team Rafa’ in full: Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Carlos Moya and David Ferrer. ‘Team Murray’ in full: Andy Murray, Marat Safin, Dominic Thiem and Fabio Fognini.
Start Time and How to Watch
The event is set to begin at 3pm BST, which is 4pm local time in Mallorca. In the UK and across the globe, the Tennis Channel will stream the event live.
