Rafael Nadal has become a father for the second time.
The Spanish tennis star, 39, and wife Mery Perello, 37, who are already parents to two-year-old son Rafa, welcomed a second son on August 7th at the Quirónsalud Palmaplanas hospital in Palma, Mallorca, according to local news outlets.
It’s reported that the couple poignantly chose to name the new arrival after Mery’s father Miguel, who passed away in April 2023 aged 63 following a long illness.
Rafael, who has made history winning 92 singles titles, including 22 Grand Slams before retiring in 2024, is fiercely private and has not made an official announcement about the new arrival.
The couple also didn’t announce Rafa’s birth, though the sportsman had confirmed she was pregnant a few months beforehand.
Daily Mail have contacted Rafael’s reps for further comment.
Rafael Nadal has become a father for the second time (pictured 2024)
The Spanish tennis star, 39, and wife Mery Perello, 37, welcomed their second son on August 7th in Palma, Mallorca according to local news reports (pictured 2021)
The couple are already parents to two-year-old son Rafa (pictured supporting his father at the Davis Cup 2024 in Malaga)
Rafael also noted at the time: ‘I’m not used to talking about my private life. We live calmer with a lower profile. I don’t expect that my life will change much with it.’
Rafael previously spoke about his desire to have children, describing himself as a ‘family guy’ but admitting his sporting career had made it difficult to think about having kids.
He said: ‘I would love to have children, boys, girls, I’m a person who loves kids and I’m a family guy. But also I tell you that the reality is, the years keep passing, I would like to start to do all of this when my sporting life determines it.’
The couple were dating 14 years before they married, with Rafael revealing in January 2019 they were engaged before tying the knot in a lavish Mallorca ceremony.
Juan Carlos I, the king of Spain from 1975 to 2014, was believed to be among those in attendance while the Michelin-star chef, Quique Dacosta, was reportedly in charge of catering for the October 2019 wedding.
While he was rumoured to be attending by helicopter, Juan Carlos I of Spain made a relatively more low-key arrival to the ceremony in a Suzuki people carrier.
The former king of Spain, who abdicated the throne in 2014, is a longstanding friend of the tennis ace and warmly greeted crowds with a wave as he was chauffeured to the glamorous event.
Mery, who is well-known as an incredibly private person, spoke about her relationship with the tennis champ in 2011.
She told The Telegraph in a rare interview: ‘Travelling together everywhere, even if I could, would not be good either for him or for me.
Rafael and his wife keep their personal lives private, and have not made an official announcement about the new arrival (pictured 2022)
They also didn’t announce Rafa’s birth, though the sportsman had confirmed she was pregnant a few months beforehand (pictured with baby son Rafa in 2022)
The couple were dating 14 years before they married, with Rafael revealing in January 2019 they were engaged before tying the knot in a lavish Mallorca ceremony
The tennis star has made history winning 92 singles titles, including 22 Grand Slams before retiring in 2024 (pictured at his final match in November 2024)
‘He needs his space when he is competing, and just the idea of me hanging around waiting on his needs all day wears me out. It would asphyxiate me.
‘And then he would have to be worrying about me … No. If I followed him everywhere, I think there’s a risk we might stop getting along.’
In May, twelve months after what proved to be his final match on Court Philippe Chatrier, Rafael was honoured by the big four.
There were t-shirts with the message ‘Merci Rafa’ on each of Philippe Chatrier’s 15,000 seats. Most were the red-brown of the clay but a few hundred white ones spelled out ‘RAFA’ with a love heart, and 14 RG, to mark his absurd tally of championships.
His official retirement ceremony came last November, a melancholic occasion when his defeat in the singles contributed to Spain’s elimination from the Davis Cup.
This felt like the tennis world’s chance to make amends and Roland Garros did not disappoint, orchestrating a note-perfect occasion.
Rafael emerged, all in black, on to the court, took up the microphone and began with a little-known story of his first ever visit here, as a 17-year-old who was unable, due to injury, to compete.
‘Thank you very much,’ he said. ‘This is difficult. This is tough. I have lived many emotions on this court, without doubt the most important tennis court in my career.
‘It has been an incredible story that began in 2004 when I came to Roland Garros for the very first time.
‘I could barely walk due to my foot injury but that year I climbed to the top of the court on crutches and looked from up there. I dreamed of coming back the following year to compete.
‘In 2005, I was finally able to play here for the first time.’
Raphael was in floods of tears by the end and the crowning moment was when he was joined on court by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
‘It means a lot that you are all here,’ said the 38-year-old. ‘You pushed me to my mental, physical limits. Nothing could have been so thrilling without these long-lasting rivalries to keep us pushing every single day.’
The ceremony ended with a beautiful, theatrical touch. A groundsman came out with a brush and cleared away an area of clay, revealing a plaque bearing his name and footprint. The announcer declared: ‘Your footprint will stay here forever.’
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