RAFAEL NADAL has confirmed that he is set to become a father for the first time.
The Spaniard revealed that wife Mery Perello is pregnant while speaking to the press in Mallorca.
Nadal poses with wife Mery and the Coupe de Mousquetaires
He said: “If all goes well, I’m going to be a father.
“I’m not used to talking about my personal life, prefer to keep a low-profile.
“I don’t anticipate this meaning a change to my professional life.”
Appearing at a press conference in his native Mallorca, Nadal also confirmed that he will fly to London on Monday with an intention of appearing at SW19, which starts June 27.
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The short-term treatment on his troublesome left foot – which he had days after winning the French Open – appears to have worked for the time being.
The world No.4 visited a Barcelona clinic to have “pulsed radiofrequency stimulation” which burnt a long-standing painful nerve in his foot.
Though clay is his speciality, Nadal reached the semi-finals in south-west London in 2018 and 2019 and is a two-time singles champion.
He said: “My intention is to play at Wimbledon.
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“The treatment and the last week of training tells me there is a chance.
“I will travel to London on Monday, play an exhibition at Hurlingham and do a week of training to see if it’s possible.
“Who knows what can happen in a couple of days – if the situation changes or something more negative happens, there will be a moment to explain.
“But I’m excited to travel to Wimbledon and to play for the first time in three years.”
CALENDAR GRAND SLAM?
Not since 1969 when the iconic Rod Laver did the clean sweep for a second time has anyone on the men’s Tour won all four majors in the same year.
American Jimmy Connors, Swede Mats Wilander, Swiss maestro Roger Federer, Serbian Novak Djokovic and even Nadal have all come close but just fallen slightly short.
Nadal beat Russian Danill Medvedev in the final in Melbourne and then crushed Norwegian Casper Ruud on Paris clay for a record-extending 22nd crown.
After that win at Roland Garros, he revealed he had had several painkilling injections to put his foot to “sleep”.
He said that if this procedure did not work he would face the prospect of surgery – without any guarantee he could play again.
Nadal said: “I have noticed a difference, some slightly strange feelings to be honest.
“With the treatment in the nerves, things happen in your foot, sometimes one part of the foot goes numb, sometimes another.
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“It’s normal apparently and after a few weeks the nerves reorganise themselves.
“I’m happy. I’ve felt a bit of pain, but it’s different to what I had before, which for me is progress.”
Nadal, 36, has been practising on the grass in Mallorca
