A Netflix documentary about the former Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal was recently dropped. It found a fan in Tamil star Dhanush, who posted a review on his social media. The actor also got candid about judging Rafael whenever he lost a match, but said he understood his struggles better after watching the doc.
Dhanush reviews Rafael Nadal documentary
Dhanush began his post on Instagram, making it clear that his review of the Netflix documentary Rafa was not a promotional post, but one from a fan who spent more than half his life watching the player’s matches. “Watching this documentary and realizing everything you went through to give your all to the sport was overwhelming. Without knowing the pain, the stress, and the anxiety you were carrying, I regret all those times I shouted at the TV when you lost a point, a set, or a match: “Vamos Rafa, you could have done better.” “Why are you making this so hard on yourself?” wrote the actor.
He added that Rafael’s routine and rituals of ‘perfectly placed water bottles, clearing the lines, adjusting your hair, pulling at your shorts’ were never superstitions but a ‘battle against anxiety, stress’ and a body that was wearing him down. “You were fighting your own demons long before you stepped onto the court to fight anyone else,” wrote the actor. He also added, “With countless injuries and a chronic foot condition, you still managed to climb the toughest of mountains. To imagine what you could have achieved without that foot condition is almost impossible. Still, still 24-22 grand slams is a very thin margin .. VERY THIN.”
Dhanush says it sends a shiver down his spine to imagine what if two of his four Grand Slams were played on clay instead of hard courts? “With all due respect, I know the stats are with Djokovic. I know many believe the game belongs to Federer. But for me, my Phoenix, you are and will always be the GOAT,” he wrote, adding, “Thank you, Rafa, for sacrificing your body and soul for the sport of tennis, and for inspiring millions around the world with your resilience, humility, and fighting spirit. Forever a fan.”
About Rafa
Rafa, a documentary series on Rafael Nadal’s tennis career, details the physical and emotional toll of his final years on court. It is directed by Oscar-nominee Zach Heinzerling. It follows the player through a physically demanding 2024 season, after which he retired. The four-part series was released on May 29.
Last seen in Tere Ishk Mein in Hindi and Kara in Tamil, Dhanush has a yet-to-be-titled film with Rajkumar Periasamy. It stars Mammootty, Sai Pallavi, Sreeleela, and Indrans.
