Rafael Nadal jokes about his son picking up a tennis racket, expresses his love for life as a father

Rafael Nadal recently opened up about his son's fascination with a tennis racket, stating that the little boy finds it quite "amusing."

Nadal and his wife Maria Francisca Perello welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on October 8 last year. During an interview with Movistar Plus+ on Monday, September 18, the former World No. 1 was asked whether his son had ever held a tennis racket, even if it was merely for the sake of capturing pictures.

Rafael Nadal revealed that his son held a tiny racket at his tennis academy and found it amusing, much like how he finds a spoon funny.

"No, he went one day to the academy and held a tiny racket because he found it amusing but in the same way he finds spoon funny," the Spaniard said.

The interviewer also asked the 22-time Grand Slam champion how he was doing as a father. Nadal expressed his fondness for children in general and emphasized that having one's own child is an even more fulfilling experience.

"Fine. I always loved kids in general so if it's yours even better," he said.

"I would like to play again, but the dream is not to come back and win Roland Garros or Australian Open" - Rafael Nadal

2023 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal has dropped out of the top 100 in the rankings for the first time in two decades. The Spaniard is currently recovering from the hip injury he suffered during the Australian Open in January. He is ranked World No. 237 at the moment.

Nadal missed this year's French Open, a tournament he has won on a whopping 14 occasions. He also withdrew from the Wimbledon Championships and the recently concluded US Open.

During his interview with Movistar Plus+, the Spaniard expressed his strong desire to make a comeback to the tennis court. However, he made it abundantly clear that he is not nurturing any aspirations of winning the Australian Open, the French Open, or any other Grand Slam tournament in 2024.

"Yes, I would like to play again and be competitive again, but the dream is not to come back and win Roland Garros or win Australia, so that people don't get confused, right?" he said. (Translated from Spanish)

"I am very aware that at the time I am in my life, all that is very far away, right? And I don't say it's impossible because in the end I say things, I have said it a thousand times, all things in sport, they change very quickly," he added.