Rafael Nadal Watches his Son Hit Identical Backhand Shots During Madrid Exhibition

Rafael Nadal won the Madrid Open five times in his career, winning 59 matches in the process.

Rafael Nadal Watches his Son Hit Identical Backhand Shots During Madrid Exhibition

Rafael Nadal and his son (via X/The Tennis Letter/Daily Mail)

In Short
  • Rafael Nadal's son showcased his tennis skills alongside his father and other top players at the Santiago Bernabeu.
  • The Madrid Open is utilizing the stadium for practice courts due to limited space at the Caja Magica.
  • Nadal expressed contentment with life post-retirement during the opening of the practice court event.

Rafael Nadal‘s son made headlines after he was seen playing tennis with his father at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 3-year-old was also seen hitting a tennis ball with former WTA World No.1 Iga Swiatek and ATP No.1 Jannik Sinner ahead of the second round of the Madrid Open on Thursday (April 23).

Madrid Open chiefs revealed last month that Real Madrid’s stadium, Santiago Bernabeu, would be used as an extra venue for practice courts amid an increasingly crowded set-up at the Caja Magica tennis center that is hosting the Madrid Open. Despite Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic withdrawing from the event, the organizers went on with their plans.

With the ATP and WTA draws extended for almost two weeks, allowing more players to compete, practice court spaces have become increasingly scarce on-site at the Madrid Open. The Santiago Bernabeu gives more space to players, and after days of work, the clay-court was finally done in the stadium.

Sinner, Swiatek, football players such as Jude Bellingham, and Thibaut Courtois took to the court to show their tennis prowess. Also, Nadal was among the dignitaries at the opening of the practice court and played a few balls. While the camera was focused on other things, Rafael Nadal Jr. took his racket to the court.

When his father saw him, he hit the ball towards his direction, and the kid had a few exchanges with the tennis legend. The exchange became the center of attraction as players, including Swiatek, were noticeably smiling as they watched them. After that, the kid took pictures with English star player Bellingham.

After that, the kid was seen giving Swiatek a high-five at the court side. Of course, the kid will know Swiatek more than most of the players, as she had recently trained at the Rafael Nadal Academy ahead of the clay season. She trained alongside Nadal and her new coach, Francisco Roig, at the complex.

She kicked off her campaign at the Madrid Open on Thursday (April 23) against Ukrainian Daria Snigur. She claimed the match 6-1, 6-2, which was a much-improved performance than what she displayed at the Stuttgart Open last week. The 24-year-old will face American star Ann Li in the third round of the tournament.

Rafael Nadal admits life is treating him well since his retirement from professional tennis

Rafael Nadal made his final appearance at the Madrid Open in 2024, the same year he retired from tour at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The Spaniard won three matches before facing Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round, who defeated him in straight sets. The 39-year-old is a five-time champion at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal (via Roland Garros)

The Madrid Open is just the second tournament this year that Nadal has made an appearance in. His first was at the Australian Open in Melbourne in January during the final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. He told reporters after the opening of the practice court at the Santiago Bernabeu that he’s happy with the way life is treating him:

Being for a few days with my family and colleagues experiencing this moment, which I think is historical. I hope the tournament is a great success over the next two weeks. I’m happy. Life’s treating me well at the moment. I can’t really ask for much more.

Nadal earned a mind-blowing 59-15 win-loss record at the Madrid Open, the best record by any player in the tournament’s history. His best record on the red dirt came at the French Open in Paris, where he claimed the championship 14 times and won 112 matches, making him a legend of Roland Garros.

Also Read: Serena Williams’ Former Coach Pinpoints Major Problem in Iga Swiatek’s Game That’s “Too Predictable”