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RNA Editorial.
The Rafa Nadal Academy held the graduation ceremony this Tuesday for the 10th class of the Rafa Nadal School, bringing the academic journey of 47 students from different countries around the world to a close.
The event was attended by Rafa Nadal and former Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovic, the patron of this class. Roland Garros champion in 2008, former world No. 1 and winner of 15 WTA titles, Ivanovic has taken over from leading sports figures such as Toni Kroos, Pau Gasol, David Ferrer, Ona Carbonell, Ricky Rubio, Iga Swiatek and Carlos Moyá, who have accompanied the Academy’s graduates in recent years. In 2020, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova took part in the ceremony remotely.
During his speech, Rafa Nadal wanted to highlight the role education has played since the Academy was founded and shared a message of gratitude and confidence with the students who are now beginning a new chapter. “Tennis has always been a fundamental part of my life, and it’s also part of this academy’s DNA. It has taught us values we consider essential: hard work, discipline, respect, resilience, and the ability to get back up after every setback”, said Rafa.
However, the 22-time Grand Slam champion reminded everyone that the project has always gone far beyond sport: “If there’s one thing that has guided this project from the very beginning, it’s the conviction that education opens doors for life. That’s why, from day one, we wanted to build a school we could be proud of. A school capable of shaping not only great athletes, but above all good people and outstanding students, prepared to face whatever path they choose in the future”.
Rafa wanted to address the graduates directly with an emotional message before saying goodbye: “As you leave the Academy today and begin a new chapter in your lives, I’d like you to remember one thing: no matter where your future takes you, you will always be part of the Rafa Nadal Academy family”.
He also offered them some advice for the next stages of their lives. “From today, you’ll take on new challenges and new opportunities. Some of you will have your path very clear, and others will still be discovering it. What matters is to always keep your curiosity, your desire to learn, and the attitude of continuing to improve”.
For her part, Ana Ivanovic congratulated the students on the work they have done over the past few years and encouraged them to face the new challenges ahead with excitement and determination. “People often think champions are defined by talent, and talent matters. But after spending so many years in sport, I can say with complete certainty that it’s not just about talent. It’s about commitment. It’s about hard work. It’s about consistency. It’s about showing up every day. The real goal isn’t just to become the most successful person, but to become someone who can be kind, stay strong in tough times and in easy times, and face failures, pressure, and opportunities with the same elegance and calmness”, said the former world No. 1.
The 47 graduates thus complete a period of training at the Rafa Nadal School, an international Anglo-American school located within the Rafa Nadal Academy that has established itself as a distinctive educational offering both in the Balearic Islands and internationally. Since its creation, the school has developed an academic model based on educational excellence, critical thinking, autonomy, and values-based education such as hard work, humility, discipline, resilience, and respect—principles that are part of students’ daily lives and for which Rafa Nadal is a genuine role model.
One of the Academy’s main goals is to prepare its students to access universities in the United States and other countries around the world, whether through athletic or academic scholarships. Thanks to this comprehensive approach, many students have continued their higher education at some of the most prestigious institutions internationally.
