Rafael Nadal, the retired tennis icon with 22 Grand Slam titles, and his wife, Maria Francisca “Mery” Perelló, welcomed their second son, Miquel, on August 7, 2025, at Quironsalud Palmaplanas Hospital in Palma, Mallorca. The news, reported by Ultima Hora and India Today on August 8, 2025, confirmed that Mery, 37, and Miquel were discharged on August 9 after a swift recovery, allowing the family to return to their Mallorca home. The couple chose the name Miquel to honor Mery’s late father, who passed away in 2023, a heartfelt tribute reflecting their deep family values, as noted by tennisworldusa.org.
Nadal, 39, and Mery, who began dating in 2005 as teenagers, married in October 2019 at Sa Fortalesa in Mallorca, attended by 350 guests, including Juan Carlos I of Spain, per HOLA! USA. Their first son, Rafael Jr., was born in October 2022, and Miquel’s arrival, announced in April 2025, marks a joyful milestone in Nadal’s post-tennis life. Nadal retired after the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, where Spain fell 2-0 to the Netherlands, ending his career with a 1,078-250 record and $135 million in prize money, per ATP Tour. His final competitive act was a doubles match with Carlos Alcaraz, a symbolic passing of the torch.
During his emotional Roland Garros retirement ceremony in June 2024, where he won a record 14 French Open titles, Nadal thanked Mery, saying, “You are my best life partner. Thank you for everything,” per olympics.com. Mery, who heads the Rafa Nadal Foundation, has been a constant presence, supporting Nadal through injuries and his 2024 farewell season. Nadal’s love for fatherhood shines through, as he told profootballnetwork.com in 2023, “I’ve always been a kids guy,” a sentiment echoed in his joy at Miquel’s birth.
Social media erupted with congratulations, with @Olly_Tennis_ posting, “Another Nadal champion in the making! Congrats to Rafa and Mery!” and @TheTennisLetter noting, “Naming him Miquel for Mery’s dad is so touching.” Fans on X also highlighted Nadal’s new chapter, with @TennisNow writing, “From King of Clay to king of family life.” Nadal’s focus on family aligns with his recent mentorship of players like Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, whom he advised in Mallorca post-retirement, per Tennis.com. As Nadal settles into fatherhood, Miquel’s birth underscores his legacy beyond tennis—a life shaped by love, family, and Mallorca’s roots.
