Rafael Nadal’s wife, Maria Francisca Perello, has always attended his matches and other important events right from their courtship days. They had their first son, Rafael Junior, in 2022. The adorable toddler was the center of attention during his father’s farewell tour last year, with the camera panning to his expressive reactions quite frequently.
They’re going to be present at Nadal’s upcoming ceremony at the French Open. Perello is also pregnant at the moment and is due to give birth later this year. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a little extra attention on her as well as Rafael Junior, who’s going to be even more active and cognizant of things around him now that he’s a year older.
It would be too much to expect Nadal to get down and dirty for an entire match but fans can certainly dream. While a full-blown exhibition match with some of his past rivals would be epic, it would also be a long shot. However, he could certainly hit a few shots in order to rekindle some of that old magic on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
It’s quite rare for players to get active during a ceremony like this, though there’s always a first time for everything. The crowd will certainly demand him to display his skills once again and their relentless cheering could prompt him to give in to their demands.
It’s quite unlikely that another player will dominate a tournament like Rafael Nadal did at the French Open for a long time. His record of 14 Major titles in Paris is likely to remain forever intact. Keeping in mind his amazing legacy, the ceremony is expected to be a fitting farewell to one of the legends of the sport.