“HE FORCED THE SON TO INHERIT – THE STRESS ALMOST DESTROYED HIM!” – Nadal’s wife burst into tears, blaming her husband’s rigorous training: “The pressure to succeed her husband plunged the boy into an inner conflict, almost a depression – they thought it was love, but it was actually too heavy a burden!”
Seconds later, Nadal’s son ran to hug his mother, whispered five words in her ear, then sobbed, sparking an argument between his wife and Nadal about how to raise their child… “No, my son!”
Manacor, Mallorca – The Mediterranean waves are still lapping against the rocks of Manacor, but inside the Nadal villa, a family hurricane has erupted like an unexpected winning backhand. Just minutes earlier, Maria Francisca Perelló – “Mery,” 37, Rafael Nadal’s wife since 2019 – broke down live during an exclusive interview with El País from the white-walled living room adorned with trophies. Her eyes red with tears, she accused her husband, the 22-time Grand Slam tennis legend, of imposing a rigorous training regimen on their 10-year-old son, Rafael Jr.: “He forced the son to inherit – the stress almost destroyed him! The pressure to succeed his husband plunged the boy into an inner conflict, almost depression – they thought it was love, but it was actually too heavy a burden!” A few seconds later , Rafael Jr. burst into the room, ran to hug his mother, whispered five words in her ear – “Mom, I love you more” – then burst into tears, triggering an explosive argument between Mery and Nadal about their child’s upbringing. Nadal, 39, who retired in 2024 after a final, emotional victory at Roland Garros, shouted, “No, my son!” before leaving the room, leaving the tennis world in shock. A family shattered by the legacy of a clay-court empire – an intimate revelation that shakes the foundations of the “King of Clay.”
It was supposed to be a casual interview about life after retirement. Mery, director of the Rafa Nadal Foundation since 2010—which has raised €50 million for the education of underprivileged children—had settled into the family living room, surrounded by wedding photos and crystal trophies. Rafael Jr., a boy with dark eyes and a shy smile, was quietly playing with a miniature racket in the garden. But the fateful question— “How are you managing Rafa’s sporting legacy for your son?” —changed everything. Mery, initially hesitant, burst into tears: “Rafa wants Rafael Jr. to be the next Nadal—five hours of training a day from the age of six, a strict diet, no friends after school. He thinks it’s love, but it’s too heavy a burden! The stress almost destroyed him—panic attacks at night, tears before junior tournaments.” The pressure to succeed her husband plunged her into an inner conflict, almost a depression. » She described heartbreaking scenes: Rafael Jr. vomiting before a match at age 8, Nadal yelling “Louder, like Dad!” on the villa’s private court.
Seconds later, the door burst open. Rafael Jr., alerted by the sobs, ran across the room, hugged his mother, and whispered in her ear, “Mom, I love you more.” Then he burst into tears, his face buried in Mery’s blouse. Nadal, who had been listening from the kitchen, stormed in: “No, my son! You’re a Nadal—you have to be strong!” The argument erupted: Mery yelling , “Let him be a child!” Nadal retorting, “It’s for his future!” before slamming the door. The cameras, still rolling, captured the moment—2.8 million views in 30 minutes on YouTube, #NadalFamilyCrisis trending worldwide.
The Nadal couple, married in 2019 in a lavish ceremony at Sa Fortaleza with 350 guests, seemed to embody perfection: Meryl, a discreet pillar of support throughout their 14-year relationship, managing Rafa’s injury crises; and him, the warrior from Manacor, 14-time French Open champion. Rafael Jr., born in October 2015, was their “little miracle”—a boy who, at just 3 years old, was hitting balls with a specially adapted racket. But behind the Instagram smiles—Rafa teaching his son his backhand under the Majorcan sun—the reality was darker. Sources close to them reveal: training sessions at 5 a.m., a ban on video games, and a sugar-free diet. Rafael Jr., already ranked number one in Spain for under-10s, won his first tournament at age 7—but at the cost of sleepless nights and consultations with a child psychologist. “He loves tennis, but hates the pressure,” confides a nanny.
Today’s argument is not an isolated incident. In 2024, during a family dinner, Mery had already threatened to leave with Rafael Jr. if his training didn’t slow down. Nadal, obsessed with his legacy – “I want him to be better than me” – ignored the warnings. The Nadal Foundation, ironically, promotes “children’s well-being”; Mery invested 5 million this year in stress-reduction programs. Experts like child psychologist Dr. Laura García comment: “A sporting legacy can be toxic – a child is not a clone.”
The tennis world reacted en masse. Roger Federer, via Instagram: “Family before trophies – stay strong, Rafa.” Carlos Alcaraz, Nadal’s protégé: “Uncle Rafa, listen to Mery.” Fans are divided: #ProtectRafaelJr vs. #NadalLegacy, petitions for “less pressure” have reached 200,000 signatures. Nadal’s villa is under protection; Nadal has retreated to his academy, remaining silent. Mery, with Rafael Jr., posted a photo of them embracing: “Love always wins.”
As the sun sets over Manacor, the Nadal family faces its greatest match—not on clay, but in the heart. Mery weeps for a free son; Nadal cries out for a living legacy. Rafael Jr., caught between two worlds, murmurs his five words like a mantra. Tennis watches, moved. The legacy? Perhaps not a racket, but a hug. And for now, it’s Mery who holds the cup.
