Rafa Nadal built an immensely respected tennis career, then followed his heart by creating the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, and now seems ready to do so once again. The former world No. 1, who retired in November 2024, is stepping beyond the court with a minority stake in Ocean Platform Marinas (OPM), acquired through his investment holding company, Aspemir. For those who may not know, the link is far from new. Nadal grew up boating in Mallorca, owns the 78-foot Sunreef catamaran Great White, and is also an ambassador for Sunreef Yachts. The beauty of this investment, which marks his foray into the world of superyachts, is that it is no startup.
OPM specializes in the management and development of marinas and is already involved in several locations like Ibiza, Málaga, and Seville. It is through this project that the much-loved tennis player worth almost $220 million, greatly admired in the country, will become part of the yet-to-begin marina in the western part of the capital. His investment may also give him indirect exposure to future developments in Málaga, where OPM has been linked to the planned San Andrés marina project.
“The incorporation of Aspemir into Ocean Platform Marinas represents key support for our project, through which we aim to promote large-yacht yachting with sustainable, state-of-the-art infrastructure that also fosters integration between port and city,” said José Luis Almazán, managing partner of Ocean Capital Partners, according to Boat International.
For Rafa Nadal, an investment in a marina seems like a full-circle moment, as his childhood memories are deeply rooted in water, going on small boats with family and friends and spending the whole day on water. In Spanish interviews, he said the sea has always been his “vía de escape.” For the island boy at heart, this is a natural progression into the world of business. The former world No. 1 has spearheaded various investments in recent years related to tourism, sports, and real estate. That tennis players can make good businessmen has already been proved by living legend Roger Federer, who made an entry into the Forbes billionaire club this year.
