Rafael Nadal’s son steals the show in adorable French Open scenes
Rafael Nadal’s baby boy has stolen the show in the French Open crowd as the tennis legend bowed out for possibly the last time.
There were some familiar faces in the crowd for what could well have been Rafael Nadal’s last match at the French Open overnight, but one in particular stole the show.
Nadal, who turns 38 on June 3, went down 6-3 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 to world number four Alexander Zverev, suffering only his fourth loss in 116 matches at Roland Garros since his 2005 title-winning debut.
“I really hope to see you again — but I don’t know,” the 14-time French Open champion said after the demoralising loss to Zverev.
A look at the crowd packed into Court Phillipe Chartier told the story.
Longtime rival Novak Djokovic and tournament favourite Carlos Alcaraz were in attendance, as was Nadal’s parents, wife Maria ‘Xisca’ Perello and their young son.
Nadal and Perello welcomed their son in October 2022, reportedly naming him Rafael Nadal Junior.
And ‘Baby Rafa’ well and truly stole the show in the French Open crowd as he watched his dad play on a court he dominated for two decades.
Tennis fans couldn’t get enough of Nadal’s son, who captured the heart viewers with his many glorious facial expressions during the match.
Rafa junior played with a mini version of Nadal’s Babolat tennis racquet as he sat with his mum.
Nadal was spotted swinging his son around and playing with him in wholesome scenes after the match.
The Tennis Letter account wrote on X: “Rafa Nadal playing with Baby Rafa is the cutest thing you’ll see all week. Pure love, nothing else.”
It was the first time he had been defeated in Paris in the opening round and will again lead to questions over his long-term future in the sport.
“It is difficult for me to talk, I don’t know if it’s the last time I’ll be here in front of all of you,” he said.
“Honestly, I am not sure. If it is, then you have been amazing. The feelings I have today are difficult to describe in words. It is the place I love the most.”
He added: “It’s hard to say about the future. I am travelling with my family and I am having fun. The body is feeling better than it did two months ago.
“Maybe in two months I say it’s enough. That is something I don’t feel yet.”
Nadal may not return for the 2025 French Open but he still plans to play the Olympics in the city in July.
“I hope to be back here for the Olympics, that motivates me. I really hope to be well prepared,” he said to loud cheers.
Plagued by injuries, which had limited him to just four events since January last year, former world number one Nadal is now 275 in the rankings and was unseeded in Paris.
However, he insisted on the eve of the tournament that he was “100 per cent keeping the door open” on his future in a sport which has brought him 22 Grand Slam titles.
Nadal was broken to love in his opening service game and he was left to regret his inability to convert two break points in the fourth game.
Nadal saved two set points in the ninth game but surrendered the opener after 50 minutes when he buried a loose forehand into the net.
It was only the fourth opening set he had lost at Roland Garros. Nadal broke for the first time in the match to lead 3-2 in the second set but couldn’t back up the advantage and handed the break back to three-time semi-finalist Zverev as he served for the set.
A tense tie-breaker followed which the German claimed, buoyed by stretching to 5-3 on the back of a gruelling 19-shot rally.
However, Zverev again roared back to level at 2-2 before a besieged Nadal had to save four break points in a 13-minute fifth game to stay in contention.
The effort was too much and a composed Zverev was soon 4-3 up and the match was over when Nadal fired a forehand wide and long.
“The amount of feelings I had on this court throughout my career, I didn’t think I would be here almost 38 with all of the success. It has been a very beautiful process,” he before he left to a standing ovation.
Nadal all but rules out playing Wimbledon
Nadal virtually ruled himself out of a final appearance at Wimbledon this year, saying it will not be “smart” to do so before the Olympics.
“I can’t confirm anything, but I don’t think it’s smart after everything my body has been through,” said Nadal.
“It will be difficult playing on grass considering that right after Wimbledon are the Olympic Games.”
Nadal has twice been a Wimbledon champion, winning the title in 2008 and 2010 but also enduring some of his toughest moments at the All England Club.
He last played the tournament in 2022 when he was forced to withdraw before his semi-final against Nick Kyrgios with an abdomen strain.
– with AFP
Originally published as Rafael Nadal’s son steals the show in adorable French Open scenes
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