Rafael Nadal briefly shared a tennis court with his one-year-old baby boy during a practice session at his academy in Kuwait.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion is in the midst of preparations for the upcoming season and has set up a pre-season camp in the Middle East, where he invited Next Gen star Arthur Fils to train with him to improve his match sharpness after a lengthy injury layoff.
The Spaniard has been practicing much more freely since recovering from a career-ending hip injury he sustained at the 2023 Australian Open. Nadal won a practice set playing the French teenager Fils to underline his determination and competitive spirit.
Nadal and his family and coaching team are in the oil-rich gulf country of Kuwait, where he has established the first state-of-the-art tennis academy. He intends to play the final year of his professional career in 2024, which will mark his return from injury at Brisbane International.
The 37-year-old had an eye-soothing moment with his baby son, whom he gently carried in his hands before being wheeled away by his mother and Nadal's wife, Maria Francisca Perello, with a blue balloon in hand. A fan inside the stadium captured the video of that adorable interaction.
Nadal recently shared an update on his experience in Kuwait and training there as he plots his tennis comeback in January, playing in Brisbane (as a wild card) and the Australian Open, where he has entered with a protected ranking.
"Great to be here in Kuwait for some days of practice. Amazing attention from everyone. Thanks in advance for everything."
The man from Manacor has been active on social media, sharing pictures and videos of his practice sessions with his legion of fans, who will be excited to see him in action after precisely a year on the sidelines.
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