21 hours ago

"Rafa" with Zach Heinzerling

Of course, we all know who “Rafa” is — the tennis legend and sports icon Rafael Nadal, winner of 22 Grand Slam titles and an unfathomable 14 French Open trophies. But who is Rafael Nadal when the cameras (or, rather, all but one of the cameras...) are turned off? In director Zach Heinzerling’s (“Cutie and the Boxer”) much anticipated, just released 4-part Netflix docuseries “Rafa,” Zach’s watchful eye reveals more than we ever thought we’d know about this extraordinary athlete and thoughtful tennis genius during his less-than-storybook final year on tour.

Zach joins Ken on the podcast for a lively conversation about Ken’s favorite athlete of all-time. After witnessing Rafa up-close-and-personal, what does Zach think made Rafael Nadal so special as a tennis player — and as a person? How did it feel to be sitting in a car, camera in hand, witnessing one of Nadal’s most private and tortured moments when injury struck once again just as he had begun his last season? Why is the idea of suffering on the court so critical to understanding what drove Nadal to become such a fearsome competitor?

If you are a Nadal fan like Ken or just someone who cares about what it means to reach for the outer limits of our capabilities, “Rafa” is every bit as thrilling as seeing one of Nadal’s spectacular forehands whip through the air and land right on the line for a winner. Game, set, and match, Nadal.