The joy of having his son witness his matches is a cherished experience for Rafael Nadal, who humorously noted that he seems to have more losses than wins since the arrival of his son, Rafael Nadal Junior.
Nadal and his wife, Maria Francisca Perello, welcomed their first child in October 2022. Due to injuries sidelining him for much of the 2023 season, little Rafa Jr. missed watching his father compete live during his first year. However, 2024 has brought some exciting opportunities.
The young Nadal accompanied his parents to various events, including the Brisbane International, the Netflix Slam in Las Vegas, and prestigious tournaments like the Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, Italian Open, French Open, and even the Paris Olympics. His most recent outing was at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, where Nadal faced off against Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals.
After losing 6-3, 6-3 to Alcaraz, Nadal was asked during the post-match interview about the experience of having his family, particularly his son, by his side. “It must be nice to have baby Rafa here with your wife and family. He thinks you’re great whether you win or lose… he was jumping up and down like crazy,” the interviewer remarked.
Nadal replied with a chuckle, “Well, I don’t think I’m great. Since he arrived in this world, I’ve lost more than I’ve won. But having him here makes the tough moments of the last couple of years a bit easier.” He also praised his son’s good behavior, saying, “He behaves very well even when it’s late. I’m happy.”
To put it in perspective, Nadal has recorded a 12-7 win-loss record in singles matches since the start of 2024, including losses in exhibition matches against Alcaraz in both Las Vegas and Riyadh.
As Nadal prepares to retire after the Davis Cup Finals in November, he has expressed a desire for his son to witness him play as much as possible. “I would love to play a little bit longer and give him a memory of myself playing tennis,” he mentioned earlier this year. “That’s what would be ideal for me and for my wife and family.”
While he acknowledges that this may not be entirely feasible, Nadal expressed gratitude for the support system he has built around him. “I’m happy to have a great team, family, and friends who have helped me in every single way to find happiness.”
Rafa Jr. will have another chance to see his father in action this Saturday when Nadal faces Novak Djokovic in a third-place playoff. Although this match will be unofficial, Nadal sees it as a nostalgic moment. “To have Novak in front of me is special. We’ve played against each other so many times, so it’ll be fun to share the court again,” he said.