Rafael Nadal has explained why he decided to play at the US Open while his wife was heavily pregnant with their first child.
Baby Rafael Jr was born on October 8 2022, but complications with the pregnancy required wife Mery Perello to spend time in hospital in September. During that time, the tennis legend was in America playing in Cincinnati before appearing at the US Open for the first time since 2019.
Doctors monitored the 34-year-old while he was away, but the 22-time Grand Slam champion was criticised by some for choosing to try and add to his record tally of major titles instead. But the former world number one has set the record straight on what influenced him to go and play across the pond at such a crucial time in his personal life.
“Luckily, I have a woman who is brave,” he said in Sydney. “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.”
The decision to play in the States didn’t work out too well for the Spaniard, as he lost his first match in the Ohio city, before suffering an early exit at Flushing Meadows at the hands of home favourite Francis Tiafoe. With less than a month before becoming a father, Nadal travelled to London to partner his great friend and rival Roger Federer at the Laver Cup in what would be the Swiss star’s final tennis match.
Given that his wife was heavily pregnant back in Spain, the Swiss superstar greatly appreciated his friend's kind gesture. “I called him after the US Open - I waited for him to finish that tournament - just to let him know about my retirement,” Federer said.
“Rafa told me, ‘I will try everything I possibly can to be there with you.’ And that felt obviously incredible for me. And it showed again how much we mean to one another and how much respect we have.
“It was an incredible effort by Rafa, and I'll obviously never forget what he did for me in London.” Late last month and two months after becoming a father, Nadal commented on how his life has changed since the birth of his son Rafael Jr.
“Well, of course it has been a drastic change, but you have to organise yourself to be able to continue doing my professional life in the best possible way," he told Spanish outlet Marca. "I am happy, enjoying a new stage that was already playing as well.
“I always thought that all this would come when I retired. That's what I always had in my head. The point is that my career, luckily, lasted much longer than I expected. So you have to learn to live with this new life stage and try to continue being as competitive as possible.”
