Rafael Nadal Docuseries 'Rafa': How a Local Setting, Language and Intimate Lensing Set the Primetime Emmy Contender Apart

Netflix and Skydance Sports’ four-part docuseries Rafa centers on Rafael Nadal as a global icon navigating early 2024 without being world No. 1—sitting at No. 652 and nearing a long stretch without titles while dealing with a chronic hip injury. The series is the first non-English-language docuseries to receive a Primetime Emmy nomination, and it’s directed by Zach Heinzerling, an Oscar nominee for Cutie and the Boxer. It spotlights Nadal’s records, including 912 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 and 14 French Open titles, plus the toll of pain from a foot break in 2004 and Mueller-Weiss syndrome. Filmed largely at Nadal’s Mallorca home, it blends tactical tennis analysis with a psychological portrait of success as a possible last comeback.