Vinay Kumar
Rafael Nadal kept the focus on family as he marked a special milestone this week. A day after celebrating his 40th birthday, the Spanish tennis legend shared new photos and a video on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse of his celebration with wife María Francisca Perelló and their two sons. However, one detail quickly caught attention. Just like Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena Djokovic have done in recent years, Nadal chose not to show his children’s faces in the pictures.The 22-time Grand Slam champion turned 40 on June 3 and received birthday wishes from fans, fellow athletes, and famous faces from around the world. On June 4, he thanked everyone through an Instagram post that featured family moments from the celebration.In the photos, Rafael Nadal stood alongside María Francisca Perelló and their sons, Rafael Jr. and Miquel. While the pictures captured happy family memories, the faces of both children were intentionally blurred. The approach was similar to what Novak Djokovic did on his 38th birthday last year when he covered the faces of his children, Stefan and Tara, with emojis before sharing photos online.“Thank you all for your birthday wishes! It was a very special day, surrounded by my whole family!” Rafael Nadal wrote on Instagram.The post also included a video showing Nadal entering a room filled with family members. As soon as he walked in, he was welcomed with applause and a Spanish version of the Happy Birthday song, making the moment even more special.
Rafael Nadal says fatherhood is one of the best experiences of his life
While fans enjoyed seeing Nadal’s family celebration, the retired star recently spoke openly about how much being a father means to him. Nadal and María Francisca Perelló welcomed their first son, Rafael Jr., in 2022. Their second son, Miquel, was born last year.Speaking during The Masters: Under the Umbrellas conversation series, Nadal explained that fatherhood has changed his life in the best possible way. He said the feeling of being a parent is difficult to describe unless someone has experienced it themselves.“(Fatherhood) is one of the best things in life, if not the best. I mean, I love kids, but only the people who have kids can understand the feeling that you have when you are a dad or a mother I think so, you know? The love, the joy that you get every morning…” Nadal said.The former World No. 1 also shared that he works hard to balance family life with his other responsibilities. Even though tennis made him one of the greatest players in history, Nadal has said he will support his sons no matter what sport they choose in the future. Whether they play tennis or follow a different path, his main wish is for them to enjoy what they do.
