Congratulations to tennis star Rafael Nadal and his wife, Mery Perelló, who are expecting their first child!
Nadal confirmed the news at a news conference after a few outlets reported that his wife was pregnant.
“If everything goes well, I’ll be a father,” Nadal said. “I don’t know what will change in my life because I have no experience, but I don’t think it will change my professional life.”
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Nadal and Perelló have been together for 14 years and tied the knot in October 2019.
The sports superstar has always been open about his desire to start a family. “Obviously I intend to start a family. I love children and I would like my children to do what they want,” he said earlier. HELLO!
But in 2020, Nadal revealed that his tennis career comes first. Because of his “devotion” to the sport, he said fatherhood could not be “predicted”.
He added: “At this age I thought I would have been a former player and started a family. If I didn’t see myself playing tennis… I might have had children sooner.
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“At the age we are now, we are not going to wait five years,” Nadal continued.
In the same press conference, Nadal says he is determined to play in the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, despite problems with his foot.
Injections he received for nerve treatment caused his foot to fall asleep mid-game during the French Open, though he still beat Casper Ruud to claim a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title.
He concluded by saying that he doesn’t expect his exciting pregnancy news to disrupt his career. “I’m not used to talking about my personal life, I prefer to keep it inconspicuous for the sake of peace. I don’t expect this to mean a change in my professional life,” said Nadal.
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