In August 2025, Rafael Nadal and wife Mery "Xisca" Perelló welcomed their second child, Miquel
Credit: Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty; Jean Catuffe/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Rafael Nadal and his wife, Mery “Xisca” Perelló, share two children: Rafael Jr. and Miquel
- The retired tennis pro and Perelló welcomed Rafael Jr. in October 2022 and Miquel in August 2025
- In September 2024, Nadal said that fatherhood changed his life “for the better”
Rafael Nadal is a tennis legend, but he is also a devoted dad.
In October 2022, Nadal and his wife, Mery "Xisca" Perelló, welcomed their first child, son Rafael Jr. Nearly three years later, in August 2025, the couple welcomed their second child, Miquel, a representative for Nadal confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.
In September 2024, Nadal appeared on the Spanish talk show El Hormiguero and got candid about how fatherhood had impacted him, saying that while it "drastically" affected his tennis game, it changed his life "for the better."
Following Nadal's retirement in October 2024, he shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife and son in an emotional video on X. “To come home and see how my son is growing every day has been a force that has really kept me alive and with the necessary energy to continue," he said.
Nadal's family appears in the new four-part Netflix docuseries, Rafa, which premiered on May 29. In an interview leading up to the release of Rafa, Nadal told PEOPLE that he is making a conscious effort to “spend as much time as possible” with his sons.
“I love being a father,” he continued. “It's an amazing experience — one of the best … I especially like to bring them to school in the morning, to pick them up in the afternoon.”
Here's everything to know about Rafael Nadal's two children, Rafael Jr. and Miquel.
Rafael Jr., 3
Credit: Andy Cheung/Getty
Nadal and Perelló became parents on Oct. 8, 2022, when they welcomed their first child, son Rafael Jr.
The retired tennis star first revealed that he and his wife were expecting a baby during a press conference in Palma de Mallorca in June 2022. "I don't know what will change in my life because I don't have experience, but I don't think it will change my professional life," he said at the time.
Nadal shared the news of his son's birth in a post on X, writing in Spanish that everyone was "very happy" and doing "very well."
The tennis star keeps his son largely out of the spotlight. However, Rafael Jr. has cheered his dad on from the sidelines several times throughout his career, including at the 2024 French Open.
While Nadal's tennis days are behind him, the former pro has spoken about the possibility of his son following in his footsteps — or choosing not to.
"If that's what my son wants to do, I'm going to support him," Nadal said in May 2025 during a ceremony honoring him at the French Open, per Vanity Fair. "I don't think that will be the case, but I'm going to support him in whatever he wants to do.”
Miquel
Credit: Netflix
On Aug. 11, 2025, PEOPLE confirmed that Nadal and his wife had welcomed their second child, son Miquel. The Europa Press news agency reported that the newborn baby was named after Perelló's late father, who died in April 2023 following a long illness.
In the final episode of Rafa, fans got their first glimpse at baby Miquel. In the scene, Perelló held Miquel while Nadal ran around with Rafael Jr.
Speaking about protecting his family's privacy, Nadal told PEOPLE in May 2026 that his kids "were happier like this."
“In a personal way, I was happier, too, that I was able to have a very private life when I was at home," he continued.
Read the full article here
