Watch: Rafael Nadal cradles his baby son as the one-year-old visits the Spaniard on court during practice session in Kuwait

Rafael Nadal had a very special on-court visitor during his practice session in Kuwait.

Following a year-long injury-related hiatus, Nadal is set to return to competition in 2024. The highly-anticipated campaign is also likely to be his last, as per the Spaniard’s own admission.

Rafael Nadal has kicked off his preparations and is training with budding Frenchman Arthur Fils at his academy in Kuwait (December 8-15). He is accompanied by his coaching team as well as his wife Maria Francesca Perello and baby son.

Ahead of one of his practice sessions in the Gulf country, the 22-time Grand Slam champion's wife and son joined him in a rare on-court outing. The Spaniard briefly interacted with the baby and cradled him, before his wife, Maria, lured the one-year-old off the court with a blue balloon.

The adorable moment was captured by a fan present in the stadium.

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Rafael Nadal on rising back up after every fall: "I have had the right people around me: family, team, friends"

The 22-time Grand Slam champion with his wife, sister and mother at the 2020 French Open

Ahead of his 2024 comeback, Rafael Nadal credited his family, friends and his team for having his back and helping him persevere despite all the obstacles he has encountered. The 22-time Grand Slam champion stated that he was therefore set on drawing the curtain on his career on his own terms.

"I would like to finish in a different way, and I have fought and kept the illusion for that to happen; with doubts, with bad moments, very bad or better moments, but I think I have had the right people around me, as I have always had throughout my career: family, team, friends," the Spaniard said in a recent video released on social media.

"I think everyone has helped me decisively to be where I am today, which is with the option of returning to compete,” he added.

The 37-year-old also said that the encouragement from his fans and supporters played an integral part in his decision to return to the courts.

“Also, the desire of people who want to watch me play again has also an important impact on my day to day," he noted.

Rafael Nadal hasn’t played a competitive match since suffering a hip injury in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open. The Spaniard is now set to kick off his 2024 campaign at the ATP 250 in Brisbane (December 31-January 7), following which he intends to compete at the Grand Slam Down Under.