- Maria Francisca Perello is the wife of tennis sensation Rafael Nadal.
- Like her husband, Maria is from Mallorca, the largest island of Spain’s Balearic Islands.
- Maria Perello has been working for the Rafael Nadal Foundation since 2012.
Rafael Nadal is an icon in the tennis world, but despite all his achievements, little is known about his beautiful wife, Maria Perello.
Rafael Nadal is currently competing at the Australian Open, and Maria Perello is one of the people cheering him from the stands.
Rafael Nadal and Maria Perello. Photo/ MARCA.
The tennis star and his wife travelled to Sydney alongside their son, who was born in October last year. This is one of the few times Rafael Nadal has appeared in public with his family.
So let’s find out about Rafael Nadal’s other half, from her childhood to her wedding and what she does.
Who Is Maria Perello?
Maria Francisca Perello is the wife of tennis sensation Rafael Nadal. Like her husband, Maria is from Mallorca, the largest island of Spain’s Balearic Islands.
Maria Perello attended the University of the Balearic Islands from 2006 to 2010, after which she left with her undergraduate degree in business management.
She later attended ESADE, a graduate school in Barcelona, where she did her post-graduate studies.
When Did Rafael Nadal Marry Maria Perello
Rafael Nadal and Maria Perello had known each other for a long time before the pair decided to tie the knot.
They dated for 14 years before finally announcing their engagement in January 2019. Several sources reported that the pair was to tie the knot in June 2019. However, Rafael Nadal’s spokesman came out and termed the reports as fake.
Rafael Nadal and Maria Perello officially got married in October 2019. Maria wore a long-sleeved gown, and the hand-embroidered fabric and jewelled neckline made an elegant combination.
Rafael Nadal and his wife on their wedding day. Photo/ Tennis Shot.
The wedding ceremony took place at the La Fortaleza castle in Majorca. The event had around 350 guests, including actors Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman.
Do Rafael Nadal And Maria Perello Have Any Children?
In June 2022, Rafael Nadal announced that they were expecting their first child.
“If all goes well, I’m going to be a father. I don’t know what will change in my life because I don’t have experience, but I don’t think it will change my professional life.” Nadal told reporters at a press conference in Mallorca, as per People.
On October 8, 2022, Rafael Nadal and his wife Maria Perello welcomed their first child, a boy, in Mallorca. This was barely two weeks after Rafael Nadal played against Roger Federer in his final match.
Rafael Nadal and his family of three were seen out in public for the first time in November. As mentioned above, the whole family is currently in Australia, where Rafael Nadal is competing at the Australian Open.
What Does Maria Perello Do?
Rafael Nadal wife, Maria Perello, first worked as a sports marketer in London. But since April 2012, she has been working for the Rafael Nadal Foundation.
She first worked as the organization’s project manager before becoming the CEO in November 2019. Maria is also a member of the board of trustees of the Rafael Nadal Foundation.
The foundation, launched in 2008, helps young people experience the “transformative power of sports and education”. It is active in Rafael Nadal’s native Spain and India.
Why Is Maria Perello Often Absent From Tennis Matches?
Maria Perello has been seen supporting her husband at several tennis matches around the globe. Most recently, she watched Rafael Nadal win a quarterfinal match against Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon in July 2022.
However, she does not appear in every major tournament to cheer Nadal. In one of Maria’s interviews, she revealed that she does not attend all of Rafael Nadal’s tennis matches in a bid to preserve their relationship.
“He needs his space when he is competing, and just the idea of me hanging around and waiting on his needs all day tires 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.” Maria Perello told The Telegraph, as per The Sun.
Maria Perello. Photo/ News.com.au.
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