Rafael Nadal's wife Maria Francisca Perello spotted with other family members during Spaniard's 2022 ATP Finals match against Taylor Fritz
Rafael Nadal's wife Maria Francisca Perello was one of the special guests in the stands during the Spanish great's 2022 ATP Finals opener against American Taylor Fritz. Nadal is joined by his wife and their month-old son Rafael Jr. on his trip to Turin for the season finale. This is the little kid's trip with his parents.
It was a family affair for the Nadals on Sunday night at the Pala Alpitour as the Mallorcan's father Sebastian, mother Ana Maria, and sister Maribel were also in attendance for his match, seated alongside Mery in the player's box. They were as focused on the match as Nadal was while playing, and wore worried looks during the second set.
Mery looks serious. https://t.co/FCYvCNDIBh
https://t.co/nymrUYl85C
The first set of the match saw some enthralling tennis from both players and the Spaniard even produced a moment of magic, hitting an incredible overhead smash winner deep in the set. However, he went on to lose the set in a tiebreaker. Fritz then made good use of his lead and fine form to bag five consecutive games in the second set for a 7-6(3), 6-1 win.
The Spaniard will now need to win his next two matches for a chance to reach the semifinals of the 2022 ATP Finals. He faces Felix Auger-Aliassime in his next match in the Green Group on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, his wife Mery and their son have been enjoying some time off in Turin and were spotted exploring the city earlier in the week.
"Different approach to usual" - Rafael Nadal on managing tennis career after becoming a father
At the Paris Masters a couple of weeks ago, Rafael Nadal was without his family members, especially his newborn son - his first trip since becoming a father. He opened up about the feeling of leaving home and being away from his son as he travels for tennis tournaments, as the Paris event was his first experience in doing so.
The Spaniard expressed that it was "interesting" how much he missed his son after only three weeks of knowing him.
"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?" he said in a press conference in Paris.
Meanwhile, the World No. 2 will have to win the ATP Finals title if he is to replace compatriot Carlos Alcaraz as the World No. 1. He is bidding to become the oldest ever year-end no. 1 since the ATP rankings came into effect.