NEED TO KNOW
Rafael Nadal and his wife, Mery “Xisca” Perelló, share two children: Rafael Jr. and Miquel
The retired tennis pro and Perelló welcomed Rafael Jr. in October 2022 and Miquel in August 2025
In September 2024, Nadal said that fatherhood changed his life “for the better”
Rafael Nadal’s family has expanded.
The retired tennis pro and his wife, Mery “Xisca” Perelló, welcomed their first child, son Rafael Jr., in October 2022. On Aug. 11, a rep for Nadal confirmed to PEOPLE that he and Perelló welcomed their second child, Miquel, nearly one week earlier.
In September 2024, Nadal appeared on the Spanish talk show El Hormiguero and got candid about how fatherhood had impacted him, saying that while it “drastically” affected his tennis game, it changed his life “for the better.”
Following Nadal’s retirement in October 2024, he shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife and son in an emotional video on X.
“To come home and see how my son is growing every day has been a force that has really kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue,” he said.
Here’s everything to know about Rafael Nadal’s two children, Rafael Jr. and Miquel.
Rafael Jr., 2
Andy Cheung/Getty
Rafael Nadal’s son.
Nadal and Perelló became parents on Oct. 8, 2022, when they welcomed their first child, son Rafael Jr.
The retired tennis star first revealed that he and his wife were expecting a baby during a press conference in Palma de Mallorca in June 2022.
“I don’t know what will change in my life because I don’t have experience, but I don’t think it will change my professional life,” he said.
Nadal shared the news of his son’s birth in a post on X, writing in Spanish that everyone was “very happy” and doing “very well.” Although Nadal has not publicly shared his son’s name, several outlets, including CNN, have reported it to be Rafael Nadal Perelló.
The tennis star keeps his son largely out of the spotlight. However, Rafael Jr. has cheered his dad on from the sidelines several times throughout his career, including at the 2024 French Open.
While Nadal’s tennis days are behind him, the former pro has spoken about the possibility of his son following in his footsteps — or choosing not to.
“If that’s what my son wants to do, I’m going to support him,” Nadal said in May 2025 during a ceremony honoring him at the French Open, per Vanity Fair. “I don’t think that will be the case, but I’m going to support him in whatever he wants to do.”
Miquel
A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty
Maria Francisca Perello and Rafael Nadal receive the Laureus Award for ‘Sport for Good’ on April 22, 2024, in Madrid.
On Aug. 11, PEOPLE confirmed that Nadal and his wife had welcomed their second child, Miquel.
While the baby’s sex is not publicly known, the Europa Press news agency reported that the newborn baby was named after Perelló’s late father, who died in April 2023 following a long illness.
Nadal has yet to publicly comment on the birth of his second child.
Read the original article on People
