Rafael Nadal is a fighter on and off the court, isn’t he? The Spaniard is into the semifinal of the Swedish Open after making a comeback from an injury. Nadal missed the recently concluded Wimbledon Championships but has made a glorious comeback as he defeated Mariano Navone in a thrilling battle. In attendance was Nadal’s sister, Maribel, who proved to be a lucky charm for Nadal.

Maribel Nadal was seen cheering for her brother throughout the match and was very vocal in support of him. During a crucial juncture in the final set, Nadal won an important rally and his sister stood up and couldn’t stop clapping. The glimpse of Maribel cheering for Nadal went viral on social media, giving off sibling goals.

It was a see-saw battle between Nadal and Navone, as the momentum changed rapidly throughout the match. Toward the closing stages of the match, Nadal was serving for the match at 5-4 but got broken. However, he got back immediately to take the lead and the rest is history as he marched into the semifinals of the Swedish Open.

Rafael and Maribel Nadal share a wonderful bond and are often seen sharing adorable glimpses with each other. Nadal’s sister has always been by his side while the Spaniard was on the rise in his career. She was often spotted in Nadal’s box, cheering for him, and proved to be a lucky charm for Nadal.

Not just on the court, Nadal’s sister has also supported Nadal off the court through thick and thin. Earlier this year, Nadal shared a wonderful glimpse with his wife during a vacation in Greece. Maribel Nadal was left impressed by her brother’s outfit choice and commented, “Guapossss,” with a love-struck emoticon and two heart emojis, which translates to “handsome.”

Five years older than his sister, Nadal was an overprotective brother, as revealed by Maribel once. She narrated an interesting tale about how her brother freaked out once after she forgot to inform him about her regular health checkups with her doctor.

Rafael Nadal’s ‘soft and vulnerable’ side disclosed by his sister

Being older than his sister, Nadal had his share of responsibilities while growing up. Additionally, he also showed his protective nature on numerous occasions. One such instance was shared by Maribel in Nadal’s book, Rafa: My Story.

Maribel revealed, “An unusual and overprotective big brother, who calls her or texts ten times a day, wherever in the world he might be, he gets into a terrible flap, she says, at the slightest suggestion that she might be falling ill.”

While Nadal was in the middle of an important tournament once, the doctor told Maribel to get some tests done. She didn’t want to inform Nadal as it would put him off. She went on to add, “In all the messages I exchanged with Rafael, that was the one thing I didn’t mention. It would freak him out; it would risk throwing him completely off his game.”

This highlighted Nadal’s ‘soft and vulnerable’ nature and how he cared for his sister. While he is a legend on the court, Nadal showed his soft nature while being a protective brother to his younger sister.