Rafael Nadal found young love with Mery Francisca “Xisca” Perelló — and the two have been together ever since.
The duo, who began dating when they were teenagers, got engaged in May 2018 and tied the knot less than one year later at La Fortazleza in Mallorca, Spain, in October 2019. The newlyweds reportedly celebrated their nuptials with over 350 loved ones in attendance including the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I.
The couple were married for just over two years before Nadal revealed that they would soon be a family of three.
“If everything goes well, I’m going to be a father,” he said during a June 2022 press conference. “I’m not used to talking about my private life. We live more peacefully with a lower profile. I don’t expect that my life will change much with it.”
The lovebirds welcomed their first child, a son, in October 2022.
Keep scrolling to relive Nadal and Perelló’s complete relationship timeline:
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2005
Neither Nadal nor Perelló have confirmed how they got together, but multiple reports suggest they were introduced by the 22-time Grand Slam winner’s sister, Maria.
In his memoir, which was released in 2011, Nadal confirmed that he and the business graduate began dating six years prior, in 2005.
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August 2011
Perelló revealed why she rarely traveled with her beau during tournaments.
“Travelling together everywhere, even if I could, would not be good either for him or for me,” she said in an excerpt from his tell-all. “He needs his space when he is competing, and just the idea of me hanging around waiting on his needs all day wears me out. It would asphyxiate me. And then he would have to be worrying about me. … No. If I followed him everywhere, I think there’s a risk we might stop getting along.”
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November 2011
The couple made their red carpet debut at the ATP World Tour Finals Gala, “A Night With the Stars.”
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June 2012
The pair shared a rare moment of PDA when they locked lips in the stands after Nadal won the French Open for the third year in a row.
Credit: Courtesy Rafael Nadal/Instagram
October 2015
The duo enjoyed a romantic getaway together in Basel, Switzerland.
“Paseando por #Basilea. Taking a walk in #Basel,” Nadal captioned a photo via Instagram of the twosome posing on a bridge.
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May 2018
Nadal proposed while on a trip to Italy, but the lovebirds kept their engagement under wraps for eight months before publicly confirming the news.
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October 2019
Nadal and Perelló tied the knot at La Fortazleza in Mallorca, Spain, surrounded by 350 of their closest friends and family.
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April 2020
The four-time U.S. Open winner got candid about wanting to start a family with his new bride. “I love children and I would like to form part of a family, and at the age we are now we’re not going to wait five years,” he gushed during an interview with Hello! Magazine.
Credit: Courtesy Raphael Nadal/Instagram
July 2021
The twosome took a hike in Mallorca, Spain.
“Cruising around… summer evenings that are spectacular in Mallorca,” Nadal wrote via Instagram alongside a sweet snap of the couple enjoying the view in the countryside.
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June 2022
The Spain native revealed he and his wife were expecting baby No. 1.
“If everything goes well, I’m going to be a father,” he shared during a press conference, adding, “I’m not used to talking about my private life,” he said. “We live more peacefully with a lower profile. I don’t expect that my life will change much with it.”
Credit: Atilano Garcia/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
October 2022
The couple welcomed their first child.
“Hello everyone. After a few days and many messages of affection I just wanted to thank you all!” Nadal wrote via Twitter at the time. “We are very happy and all very well! A big hug.”
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October 2024
Nadal announced his retirement from tennis while also thanking his wife for supporting him throughout his long career.
“Mery, we have been together for 19 years. Thank you for everything you have done. I think you’ve been the perfect travel companion during all these years of my career,” he shared in an emotional video via 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.”
