Rafael Nadal has officially become a father after welcoming a son with his wife, Maria Francisca Perello.
A long time has passed since the Big Three were all relatively young and at the height of their game. To best demonstrate that, now they’re all fathers themselves.
Roger Federer became a father first, which makes sense as he’s the oldest. Novak Djokovic then became a father by welcoming a son, Stefan, into the world. Now, the third of the historic trio, Rafael Nadal, became a father as well, as the Spaniard finally added his name to the list of fathers on the ATP Tour.
His wife, Maria Francisca Perello, gave birth to a baby boy in Mallorca. Spanish publication Diario de Mallorca confirmed the news as the publication relied on a source that confirmed that both the mother and the baby were in good condition.
"Both the mum and her baby, born in the 37th week of her pregnancy, are doing well. The birth took place in a private clinic on the island where Mery had to remain under observation and rest completely in the last few weeks."
Nadal's wife indeed spent the last couple of weeks in hospital after she was advised to do so by the doctors following a hospitalization, which was reported by Spanish media during the time Nadal was competing at the US Open.
At that time, there seemed to be lots of concern about his wife, but Nadal quickly shut down any kind of speculation by confirming that his wife was fine. Luckily, that ended up being the truth, and now the pairing can enjoy this new chapter of their life with their son at their side.
As for Nadal, time will tell what the first event he'll play as a father will be, but for now, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll be making a return to the courts anytime soon.