Even in the middle of a grueling tennis practice, Rafael Nadal could break his usual game-mode character in the presence of his baby boy.
The Spanish tennis legend was in Kuwait for almost two weeks, where he set up his preseason block at his academy, which has expanded its reach in the Middle East. Nadal invited French teenager Arthur Fils to help him refine his game after a long injury break.
Nadal had a great time in Kuwait, flying his family and coaching entourage to the oil-rich Gulf nation, where the locals warmly received him, and he enjoyed a hospitable experience playing and staying there.
During one practice session, he was captured cradling his newborn son, and very recently, he was seen making cartoonish faces at him as he watched from the stands. The lighthearted moment was videotaped by one fan in attendance and shared on the internet.
The 37-year-old had missed the rigors of the tennis tour for nearly a year after sustaining a hip injury at the 2023 Australian Open and ended up calling off the remainder of last season with ten months to spare.
Nadal underwent successful surgery and has been actively preparing for his tennis return. He announced that he would make a comeback at the ATP 250 in Brisbane next month and is due to enter the 2024 Australian Open with a Protected Ranking.
His sparring partner in Kuwait, Arthur Fils, has revealed that Nadal’s level is very high, which is welcome news for the tennis fraternity and should give him a dose of confidence that he could play beyond next season.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion concluded his preseason in the Middle East and returned to Mallorca a couple of days ago, where he will be in a celebration mood for the holiday festivities before he takes a flight to Australia very soon.
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