Rafael Nadal was recently spotted holding his son in his arms as Rafa Jr. held his tiny tennis racquet in his hands.

Nadal missed the 2023 season due to an injury. He attempted a comeback at the 2024 Brisbane International but got sidelined again after sustaining an injury in the quarterfinal match against Jordan Thompson.

The Spaniard is on his comeback trail and played at the 2024 Barcelona Open. He won his first match against Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-3 but lost to Alex de Minaur in the second round. At the 2024 Madrid Open, he will square off against 16-year-old Darwin Blanch.

Before his match at the Madrid Open, the 22-time Grand Slam champion was seen spending time with his son and wife Maria Francisca Perello. Nadal was seen holding his son in his arms and adorably kissing his cheeks.

Watch the video below:

Rafael Nadal said that he would prefer if his son practices another sport

Rafael Nadal recently said in an interview with La Sexta that he would prefer if his son took up a sport other than tennis. The Spaniard said that even though he would support him if he decided to pursue tennis, it would be better if he took up any other sport.

“I would prefer that [my son] practice another sport. It pains me to say it with everything that tennis has given me… If he wants to play tennis, I will support him. But if he plays another sport, better,” he said, as quoted by Marca.

He also talked about his approach to fatherhood, mentioning that he would not be a father who justifies everything that their children do.

“I wouldn’t like to be the typical father who justifies everything his children have done. At the moment I’m not in that position,” he said.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion recently revealed that he opposes getting a pet dog for his son. During a Q&A session at Barcelona Open, Santiago Gonzalez’s kids, Camila and Matias, inquired if he would buy a dog for his son.

The King of Clay joked that it was tough enough to take care of his son without adding a puppy to the mix.

“Uf! Not at the moment. The truth is that he [Rafa Jr.] loves all animals. But not at the moment. It’s tough enough to keep him, if on the top of that, we have to keep a puppy now, I can’t deal with all that,” he said.