"When he first has to go to Australia, it will be hard to be away" - Toni Nadal on Rafa's fatherhood
ATP
Rafael Nadal recently became a father, so he will need to get used to being away from his family and the new baby. His uncle Toni Nadal spoke about how he thinks his nephew will manage that.
Nadal has spent over two decades traveling around the world to compete for titles. He was often accompanied by his wife, Maria Francisca Perello, and traveling wasn't necessarily a very challenging part of his lifestyle for the Spaniard.
But that will likely change in the coming weeks and months. Nadal became a father for the first time when he and his wife welcomed their first child. The 22-time Grand Slam champion confirmed this with a post on his Twitter account, informing his fans that both his wife and their child were doing well.
Another chapter of Nadal's career started with the birth of his child. It will be a chapter during which he might find it difficult to travel to some tournaments. Leaving home won't be as easy as it once used to be, and his uncle, Toni Nadal, spoke about it, as per Majorca Daily Bulletin.
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Toni Nadal thinks that the first time his nephew has to leave at the start of the season to compete at the Australian Open, he will likely experience how challenging it is to be a father and a professional athlete at the same time.
"He will do this totally normally. He's not a special guy, as all footballers and many others do this. When he first has to go to Australia, it will be hard to be away, but in the end it is the price you have to pay."
Other than that, Toni Nadal thinks that his nephew will handle the situation well, as many other professional athletes do. Before traveling to Australia in January, Nadal will play his first tournaments as a father already this year. He's scheduled to compete at the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
