Rafael Nadal has experienced some changes over the past year. While the tennis star has been mostly away from the sport, he’s been busy raising his son, an experience that has considerably altered his life.

Nadal discussed parenting and tennis with the reporter Ana Pastor, reports our sister website HOLA! Spain. He revealed that his wife, Mery Perello, is one of his biggest supporters. “My wife likes that I’m still playing tennis. She likes for us to have that experience with my son,” he said in Spanish.

He also discussed how much life has changed since becoming a father, a process that requires some adaptation. “It’s a radical change,” he said. “No doubt about that. I htink everyone that’s a father or a mother knows that it’s a change. You have to adapt to it.”

Nadal considers fathehood as a positive influence on his professional life

Nadal explained that while his life has changed as a parent, his relationship with tennis has not. “It doesn’t change me for a simple fact, because I know what my partner thinks. It would change me if I had a partner that didn’t want to travel and wanted to stay in Mallorca all the time with my son.”

He also said that he and his wife want to enjoy some of the benefits of his work alongside their son. “My family, my wife, they like that I still play tennis. They like to have that experience with our son of traveling, etc. I have a positive push in that way.”