Rafael Nadal, sister Maribel and mother Ana Maria turn heads in formal wear as they inaugurate new hotel in Dominican Republic

Rafael Nadal delighted his fans in the Dominican Republic, where he was present to inaugurate the first hotel of the Zel brand in the Americas.

Nadal travelled to the town of Punta Cana accompanied by his sister Maribel and mother Ana Maria, who appeared at the event in black formal wear.

The hotel in a tourist town in the east coast of the Dominican Republic will also house the first Rafa Nadal Academy in the region.

Rafael Nadal's mother and sister Maribel were also present for the inauguration of the hotel alongside the 22-time Grand Slam champion, as per images shared by a Nadal fan account on X.

The first property of the Zel brand was launched in Mallorca back in 2023, aiming to provide guests with a typical Mediterranean experience.

The hotel in Punta Cana is the third offering from Nadal and Melia Hotels International after the second Zel Costa Brava also based in Spain.

The 190-room luxury resort will also house the first Rafa Nadal Academy in the continent. Presently, the property boasts of five tennis courts in the complex.

While in Punta Cana, Nadal spoke to the Spanish newspaper Listin Diario, extending his greetings and a "warm hug".

Two more Zel hotels in the pipeline, which are expected to come up in the future, include one in Madrid and the other in Sayulita, Mexico.

"Nadal sends his greetings to the readers of the newspater Listin Diario"

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"We hope that it will be the beginning of a successful relationship" Rafael Nadal at inauguration event in Dominican Republic

Nadal launched the first property of his hotel chain in Mallorca in 2023 - Source: Getty

Rafael Nadal asserted that he was "very excited" about the new hotel in the Dominican Republic, which opened its doors to guests following the inauguration.

The event was attended among others by Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic and CEO of Meliá Hotels, Gabriel Escarrer.

The 38-year-old added that he would like to be more involved and hoped that it would be the beginning of a successful relationship.

"In this new stage of my life, I am very excited about the project. I hope to be more involved every day. Today we inaugurated this hotel and we hope that it will be the beginning of a successful relationship and that it will obviously not be the last," Nadal stated at the event.

Rafael Nadal retired from tennis late last year after playing for Spain in the 2024 Davis Cup finals.