Rafael Nadal Reveals Foreign Location Where He Will Open His First Hotel

Dhruv Rupani | 08/08/2023
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Rafael Nadal seems to be on cloud nine when it comes to his investments. He is preparing for a life beyond retirement while being away from the game, with hospitality as one of his focus sectors.

Last month, Nadal had confirmed that his hometown, Mallorca would be the first city in the world for him to open his first hotel in partnership with hospitality brand, Melia. Called the ZEL chain of hotels, its first overseas branch will open in 2025, in a country where the 22-time Grand Slam champion has some special memories.

Spanish legend rides on the Mexican wave again

Similar to Spain in many cultural aspects, Nadal has opted for Mexico according to Hola!. It helps that there are many islands in the country and that it is near the United States, attracting many North American tourists as a perfect getaway. With Mexico also being one of the most affordable countries in South America when it comes to doing business, the Spaniard seems to have made a wise choice.

The hotel will be in Sayulita, a town on the Pacific Coast in Mexico, with its USP being Mediterranean luxury and style available on the country’s famous beaches. According to Spanish publication El Economista, the hotel will have 145 rooms which will surround a central patio that’ll boast a vibrant and cozy environment. The ZEL chain of hotels will consist of amenities provided in luxurious hotels and have access to activities curated by Nadal himself, including concerts, excursions and fitness programs. Reportedly, Nadal and his business partners plan to open 18 more hotels in the next 5 years.

Nadal has a familiarity of doing business previously in Mexico as well, as one of the centers of the Rafa Nadal Academy is in Cancun. When it comes to playing tennis, Acapulco is one of his favorite venues. He has won the title 4 times there, i.e. in 2005, 2013, 2020 and 2022. Having visited the country many times, the tennis legend is aware of how things work there.

Nadal net worth, prize money earnings and endorsements

According to a Spanish publication Marca, the Rafael Nadal net worth figure stands at a whopping $220 million. Although Nadal is largely a private person off the court, he has been able to earn more than $500 million with ease over the years as per Forbes. This is due to endorsements with brands such as Nike, Richard Mille, Subway, Babolat, Kia Motors, Santander, Emperio Armani, Tommy Hilfiger and Telefonica, most of whom have supported him since the beginning of his professional career on the ATP Tour.

Currently, he is the biggest and oldest tennis name on Nike’s payroll, as he reportedly earns a guaranteed $10 million per year from that deal. Since 2013, Nadal has a sports and event management company of his own called Hi7tory alongside his long-time manager, Carlos Costa. During his stint with IMG, Costa has managed the 22-time Grand Slam champion since his early days in 2005, helping him bag monstrous sponsorship deals.

Rafael Nadal has the honor of being the second richest men’s player of all-time in tennis when it come to his prize money earnings, which are $135 million approximately. Using these funds, Nadal runs his own venture capital company, Aspemir which earned nearly $22 million in profits in the last financial year thanks to investing in 20 companies.

The former World No.1 has opted to invest money in real estate, owning land for A-list investors or celebrities to purchase from his family. Otherwise, he has opened up hotels, private residences and restaurants in Spain in the rest of them.

Post Edited By: Dhruv Rupani
Rafael Nadal

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Dhruv Rupani

Dhruv Rupani is a Tennis Editor at The SportsRush. He is a tennis tragic in every sense and would go to any length to defend it against anyone if compared negatively to other sports. A huge Rafael Nadal supporter, Dhruv believes tennis is very much like life in most aspects. He started following the sport at the age of 10. Translating his love for sports into a living, he has over 8 years of experience in the digital media space. He aims to entertain and educate people about sports by presenting the best updates to them. When not covering tennis, Dhruv loves to spend time watching comedy shows and movies, reading inspiring books and doesn't mind trying his hand at cooking sometimes!

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