Finally breaking his silence, the 36-year-old tennis ace says that he's eager to 'be a father' after it's reported that he and his wife are expecting their baby No. 1.
- Jun 18, 2022
AceShowbiz - Rafael Nadal has confirmed he is expecting his first child with Maria Francisca Perello. Following fierce speculation in mid-June that his wife was pregnant, the 36-year-old tennis ace finally broke his silence on Friday, June 17.
At a press conference in Majorca, Nadal told reporters, "If all goes well, I'm going to be a father." He added about striving to keep his family life out of the spotlight, "I'm not used to talking about my private life. We live calmer with a lower profile. I don't expect that my life will change much with it."
It was reported in mid-June in Spanish magazine Hola! that Nadal's childhood love Perello was pregnant. The publication made the claim as she had what seemed like a baby bump under her swimsuit on board a yacht where she and the tennis star, who is set to compete in Wimbledon in June for the first time in three years, were on a break.
Perello was also spotted wearing loose-fitting clothes at the recent Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. The couple are still relaxing off Majorca with a group of friends on board the "Great White", a 78-foot long, £4.2 million catamaran Rafael had custom made in 2020.
Perello, who is also known as Xisca, gave up her job in insurance to become project director for the Rafael Nadal Foundation, the charity founded by the tennis player more than a decade ago. The couple were dating 14 years before they married, with Nadal revealing in January 2019 they were engaged.
Nadal has previously spoken about his desire to have children, describing himself as a "family guy," but admitting his sport career had made it difficult to think about having kids. He said, "I would love to have children, boys, girls... I'm a person who loves kids and I'm a family guy. But also I tell you that the reality is, the years keep passing, I would like to start to do all of this when my sporting life determines it."
The two-time Wimbledon champion has been undergoing treatment for the rare bone degeneration disease Muller-Weiss syndrome, with which he was diagnosed in 2005 in his left foot.
