Learn about Maria Francisca Perello, better known as Xisca, the wife of renowned tennis champion Rafael Nadal. Discover her life, career, and relationship with one of the world’s greatest athletes.

Wiki/Biography

Maria Francisca Perello, affectionately called Xisca, was born on July 7, 1988, in Palma, Spain. Her zodiac sign is Cancer. While her real name is Maria Francisca, she prefers the nickname “Xisca.” She completed her schooling in Spain, attending the same school as Rafael Nadal, although they were in different classes. She later earned a Business Administration degree from a university in London, UK.

Physical Appearance

• Height: Approximately 5’9″
• Eye Color: Dark Brown
• Hair Color: Dark Brown

Family & Husband

Xisca is of Spanish descent and identifies as an Agnostic. Her father’s name is Bernat Perelló, and her mother’s name is María Pascual. She enjoys a long-standing relationship with Rafael Nadal. They began dating in 2005, introduced by a mutual friend. Nadal proposed in May 2018, and they married on October 19, 2019, in Majorca, Spain.

Career

Following her graduation, Xisca secured a position at MAPFRE, a sports firm that also sponsored Rafael Nadal at the time. However, due to unfounded rumors about her employment, she left MAPFRE. She then returned to Spain and worked for an insurance company. In 2008, she joined The Rafa Nadal Foundation, Nadal’s charitable organization, as a Projects Director, a role she continues to hold.

Facts/Trivia

Xisca values her privacy and prefers to avoid the spotlight. She has consistently maintained a distance from the media. When asked about her avoidance of media attention, she famously stated, “It’s not a world I want to be part of, nor do I think Rafa would have chosen to be with a woman who looked for that in life.”

Her attendance at Nadal’s matches is infrequent. While she has attended a few matches at Wimbledon and the French Open, her presence at the Australian Open was a rarity until 2017, a noteworthy event considering Nadal’s decade-long participation in the tournament. In an interview, she explained, “We mutually decided to give each other space. Nadal needs space while competing, and I would get tired if I had to just hang around waiting on his needs. If I followed him everywhere, I think there’s a risk we might stop getting along.”

After leaving her job in London, the media attention surrounding her relationship with Nadal intensified. She faced constant paparazzi attention and interview requests. When asked why she didn’t quit her job to travel with Nadal, she replied, “It would asphyxiate me, and then he would have to be worrying about me.”

Her engagement ring was first publicly seen in July 2018, during Nadal’s Wimbledon match, following their engagement in May of that year.

Key Details about Xisca Perello