WATCH: Rafael Nadal shares this CUTE moment with wife Maria on the return to Spain!

WATCH: Rafael Nadal shares this CUTE moment with wife Maria on the return to Spain!

Rafael Nadal and Maria Francisca Perello

Rafael Nadal returned to Spain following his record-breaking Australian Open title win last week. He was welcomed at the airport by his wife, Maria Francisca Perello.

Nadal arrived at the airport in Palma and was seen signing a few autographs for his fans on his arrival, before he met his wife and shared a warm embrace with her.

Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in a grueling 5 hour 24 minutes to win a record 21st Grand Slam title. The Spaniard looked down and out when he was facing three break points at 2-3 in the third set, but he scripted one of the comebacks of all time to clinch his second Australian Open title. This win made Nadal the player with the most Grand Slam men’s singles titles, ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer (both at 20).

At the start of the year, the Spaniard wasn’t even sure whether he would play in the Australian Open, after he cut short his season last year due to a foot injury. But Nadal started his 2022 season on a high note, with a title win at the ATP Melbourne Summer Set 1. At the Australian Open, he lost only one set until his quarter-finals clash with Denis Shapovalov, where squandered a two-set lead, but did enough to win the decider. The sixth seed then defeated Matteo Berrettini in the semi-finals, before winning an epic five-set thriller against Daniil Medvedev.

What next for Rafael Nadal?

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal

Nadal is next scheduled to play at the Acapulco ATP 500 which begins on February 21st and after that at the Indian Wells in March. But Nadal has hinted that he might decide to skip these tournaments and will make a decision after he assesses his fitness condition.

It remains to be seen whether Nadal decides to skip the rest of hard court tournaments and begin his clay-court season where he will begin his quest for his 14th French Open crown.

Also read: “Rafa’s victory was inspiring!” Jo-Wilfried Tsonga LAUDS Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open triumph