After Rafael Nadal confirms family's presence during ATP Finals, Spaniard's wife Maria Francisca Perello and newborn son spotted around Turin
Rafael Nadal practiced with Stefanos Tsitsipas in his first training session at the 2022 ATP Finals, where he revealed to Tsitsipas' father that his own family were accompanying him in Turin.
The Spaniard's wife Maria Francisca Perello and their newborn son Rafael Nadal Perello have since been spotted around the city, as Maria Francisca enjoyed her day out with her child while her husband busied himself in more training.
At the same time as the Mallorcan was engaged in practice with Felix Auger-Aliassime, his wife was seen pushing her baby along in a stroller, wearing a white-grey jacket and overcoat combo that was not too dissimilar from the combination that Nadal wore for his group photo at the ATP Finals.
Mery and baby Rafa in Italy 😍❤ https://t.co/yjto1TAac0
The 22-time Grand Slam champion's first tournament as a father came at the Paris Masters, where he was not accompanied by his family. After an early exit, however, the 36-year-old returned to Mallorca to spend time with them.
Even before the tournament began, the World No. 2 had admitted that it was difficult for him to leave home without his newborn son and his wife, remarking that he missed them too much and was barely getting by with the help of video calls.
"Different approach to usual. Always have been tough to leave home, honestly. Yeah, it's quite interesting how even after only two or three weeks, leaving your son at home and not be able to see him, how even with this after only three weeks knowing him, you start missing him, no?" Nadal said.
Thankfully, the former World No. 1 has seen the error of his ways this time around and brought Maria Francisca and baby Rafael along, so he can focus on the task at hand instead of worrying over their absence.
Rafael Nadal locked in same group as Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz
On the tennis side of things, Rafael Nadal has been handed a relatively easy draw at the 2022 ATP Finals and is expected to make it out of the group stage and into the knockouts. Drawn in the Green Group along with Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud, the Spaniard has beaten all three players this year, losing only once against the trio put together -- the loss coming to Fritz at Indian Wells.
Should he make it to the semifinals, the Mallorcan is likely to face off against one of Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas, who are all drawn in the Red Group alongside Andrey Rublev.