Tennis legend Rafael Nadal is having a stellar run at the 2020 Australian Open.
Currently undefeated after four matches, the World Number One broke the hearts of Aussie tennis fans when he beat Nick Kyrgios after a gruelling four-set match on Monday night.
Watching him serve, hit and ace his way to victory, is his wife, Xisca Perello. In a post-game interview after his first Australian Open win against Bolivian player, Hugo Dellien, Nadal made a cheeky, but rare reference to Perello when asked for his 2019 highlight.
“The wedding – my wife is here today,” he joked. “I need to take care with my answers now!
“No honestly it has been a very special year. All the results have been unforgettable.”
What happens when you take your tennis obsession from the caught to the office. Tennis-obsessives will understand. Post continues below.
Despite frequently accompanying Nadal to many of his tournaments, we hardly ever hear of or see the 31-year-old other than a quick smile from the player’s box.
Information about Perello is even harder to come by. Many stumble over her age, it’s hard to glean what she does with herself now, and almost all of the photos of her that exist online are ones she has not posed for. Take a scroll through Nadal’s own Instagram account, and Perello’s face is a rare sight.
We took a deep dive into the life of Rafael Nadal’s girlfriend, the woman behind one of the world’s greatest athletes.
Who is Xisca Perello?
Perello, born Maria Francisca Perello, is an intensely private person. She isn't on Twitter or Instagram, at least not publicly.
To the world, Perello isn't 'Nadal's wife', but a former insurance worker, business graduate, and the current project director for Rafa Nadal Foundation, the charity which Nadal launched almost ten years ago.
The first time many knew Nadal even had a girlfriend was when tennis commentator Jim Courier mentioned it in conversation with the Spaniard at the Australian Open in 2017.
"This is the first time that you brought your girlfriend Xisca [Perello] down to Australia if I'm not mistaken, is that right? How has that been for you to have her with you here?"
After clumsily navigating the sudden interest in his private life, Nadal joked. Yes, it was true. Ten years of Open appearances and his girlfriend "finally gets a wildcard to come here".
Courier pushed a fraction more, but got little in return. “You know, uhhhh, better we stop here," Nadal concluded.
Top Comments
refreshing change from WAGS who put every moment of their life on instagram
Perhaps if she clearly wants to remain private a deep-dive into every detail of her life is not really necessary...
Agree 100% Veronica
"Perello, born Maria Francisca Perello, is an intensly private person. She isn't on Twitter or Instagram, at least not publicly."
The author wrote this quote - but here we go, all the juicy details anyway, kids, career, first meeting - and to hell with respecting her wishes for privacy.