Tennis star Rafael Nadal has been pictured with his new baby in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open later this month.
The 36-year-old welcomed his first child, a boy who is also called Rafael, in October 2021 with his wife Maria Francisca Perello.
“After a few days and many messages of love, I just wanted to thank you all! We are very happy and all very well! A big hug,” he wrote on Twitter after he was born.
Nadal hasn’t been seen in public with the newborn many times, and the photos are so cute…
![Rafael Nadal Son, What did Rafael Nadal name his son? photos explained](https://i0.wp.com/wothappen.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/nadal.webp?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1)
Nadal spotted with his baby in Sydney
In pictures shared by Daily Mail, the sportsman can be seen cradling his son as he boarded a boat at Sydney harbour on Wednesday (January 4).
Baby Rafel wore a navy blue t shirt, blue and white striped shorts, a white hat and socks as he sat happily in his father’s arms.
The tennis star matched his son in a white t-shirt, navy blue cap and shorts as he cupped the baby’s head and neck wtih his hands.
He was accompanied by his wife, friends and former Argentine professional player Gustavo Marcaccio, who is on Nadal’s coaching team.
See the cute photos below:
He lost his first few tournaments as a father
Whilst in Sydney in December for the United Cup, Nadal was asked how he was adapting to life playing tennis a new father and joked about how his performance had not been up to scratch.
“The first event I play like a father without the baby with me, I lost first round,” he said during a press conference. “Second event, traveling with the baby, I was out of the group stage.”
“At the end I won my last match, but I need to keep improving, no?” he continued. “We have some help. No problem at all. Just I need to organize little bit my life, as everybody needs to do when you have a child in your life.”
The athlete lost in his opener at the Paris Masters and then got knocked out of the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy in the group stage.
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Nadal’s pregnant wife told him to go to the US Open
Nadal’s wife Maria Francisca, who goes by Xisca, had to spend time in hospital in September 2021 as there were complicatins with her pregnancy.
Whilst she was there, her husband went to New York for the US Open, and he got some backlash from fans for leaving his wife.
However, he cleared things up in Sydney in December, saying: “Luckily, I have a woman who is brave. And she has always helped me in everything I could and more, and she has always encouraged me to continue.”
“So, in that sense, she made it easy for me. In fact, it was she who encouraged me to go to the United States,” he explained.
After the US Open, the 36-year-old went to London for Roger Federer’s retirement before returning to Spain to be with his heavily pregnant wife.