Rafa Nadal's sister speaks out amid dramas surrounding pregnant wife
Rafa Nadal's sister Mirabel has provided a positive update about his pregnant wife Xisca, while reports have emerged that the couple are expecting a baby boy.
Xisca was recently hospitalised in Mallorca due to complications with the pregnancy, forcing Nadal to make the agonising choice between staying with her or flying to London to take part in Roger Federer's farewell event at the Laver Cup.
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He ultimately chose to play at the Laver Cup, teaming up to play doubles with Federer for the final match of his great friend and rival's career.
Nadal later revealed the emotional toll the decision had taken on him after he was seen in tears following his match with Federer - a loss to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.
The doubles was the only match Nadal played at the event, flying home immediately afterwards to be by Xisca's side.
On Thursday, Nadal's sister Mirabel - who has also been by Xisca's side during her stay in hospital - offered some encouraging words about the situation.
Speaking after a ceremony in Madrid attended by Spanish Queen Letizia in which she represented the Rafa Nadal Foundation, Maribel said Xisca is doing "very well".
Reports also emerged on Thursday that Rafa and Xisca will be having a baby boy, due in October.
Speaking on Friday night after his match at the Laver Cup, Nadal opened up on how difficult it was for him to leave Xisca.
"They have been difficult weeks, few hours of sleep, a little stress in general," he admitted.
"The situation is a little more complicated than usual at home. I have had to deal with a different pressure than what you are used to in professional life.
"Luckily everything is fine, much calmer, and in that sense, I have been able to come here, which was important to me."
Nadal only made the decision to play at the Laver Cup when he learned that it would be Federer's farewell.
He had previously said he didn't know when he would be back on court following the US Open due to the situation at home.
"We have never had any big issues and always respected each other and our families too," Nadal said about Federer.
“But our personal relationship has got better and better over the years, and we approach life in a similar way.
“On court, we have completely opposite styles, and that's what probably makes our matches and our rivalry so big and interesting.
“I’m very proud to be part of his career in some way, but even happier to finish our career like friends after everything we shared on court as rivals.”
Roger Federer grateful for Rafa Nadal's Laver Cup presence
Federer later lifted the lid on his conversations with Nadal in the lead-up to the Laver Cup, revealing it was touch-and-go that Nadal was going to make the trip at all.
"I called him after the US Open - I waited for him to finish that tournament - just to let him know about my retirement," Federer told the New York Times.
"And I just wanted to let him know before he started making some plans without the Laver Cup at all. I told him on the phone that I was probably 50-50 or 60-40 on making the doubles. I told him, 'Look, I’ll keep you posted. You let me know how things are at home. And we’ll reconnect'.
"Rafa told me, 'I will try everything I possibly can to be there with you.' And that felt obviously incredible for me. And it showed again how much we mean to one another and how much respect we have.
"And I just thought it would be just a beautiful, amazing story for us, for sports, for tennis, and maybe beyond that as well, where we can co-exist in a tough rivalry and come out on top and show that, hey, again it’s just tennis.
"Yes, it’s hard, and it’s brutal sometimes, but it’s always fair. And you can come out on the other side and still have this great, friendly rivalry. I just thought it ended up even better than I ever thought it would. So, an incredible effort by Rafa, and I’ll obviously never forget what he did for me in London."
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