Sports / Rafael Nadal gets married to his girlfriend Xisca after 14 years of dating

Rafael Nadal has married his partner of 14 years, Mery Perello, at a castle in Majorca on Saturday.

Tennis ace Nadal tied the knot with the 31-year-old insurance worker at British-owned fortress La Fortaleza, with a reported 350 guests invited to a private ceremony, including the former king of Spain.

The bride - also known as Xisca - is believed to have worn a stunning long-sleeved gown designed by internationally acclaimed bridal wear designer Rosa Clará.

According to the Rosa Clará website, Mery's gown had a jewel neckline, and was made of beautiful Art Deco-inspired French lace with delicate patterning, flower motifs and microbeading on the hand-embroidered fabric.

While he was rumoured to be attending by helicopter, Juan Carlos I of Spain made a relatively more low-key arrival to the ceremony in a Suzuki people carrier.

The former king of Spain, who abdicated the throne five years ago, is a longstanding friend of the tennis ace and warmly greeted crowds with a wave as he was chauffeured to the glamorous event.  

Elsewhere, also making a sharp arrival was tennis player Feliciano López, who put on a dapper display in a slick three-piece navy suit as he was joined by his stunning other half, Sandra Gago. 

Sandra looked incredible in a pink floral dress, complete with a green ribbon belt. 

Former Argentinian tennis player Juan Monaco and his girlfriend Diana Arnopoulos cut a stylish figure as they left a hotel in Pollenca to make their way to the nuptials.

The original fort, which is now Spain's most expensive property, was built in 1628 to defend Majorca against invaders. 

Ahead of Lupton's purchase, the estate has been transformed and expanded to include seven villas complete with 17 en-suite bedrooms, two swimming pools and a helipad.    

Rafa revealed in January that he was engaged to his long-term girlfriend Mery following a 14 year courtship. 

Hello's sister publication HOLA! revealed that Spanish athlete proposed to Mery in May of 2018 during a romantic tripto Rome.

However, they reported that the couple decided to keep the happy news private for the first eight months of their engagement.

Perello, born Maria Francisca Perello, is an insurance worker and business graduate.

The brunette beauty also serves as a project director for the Rafa Nadal Foundation, the charity he founded almost ten years ago.

Nadal has made no secret of his desire to have children, saying he is a 'family guy' and is looking forward to having his own brood in the not too distant future.

But the dedicated sportsman admitted his tennis career has made it difficult to think about starting a family until now.

He said: 'I would love to have children, boys, girls… I’m a person who loves kids and I’m a family guy.

'But also I tell you that the reality is, the years keep passing, I would like to start to do all of this when my sporting life determines it.'

He told Essentially Sports, at the end of last year: 'I have a girlfriend too and I am not alone to take decisions.(sic)

'You have to suit situations you know. Having family? I don’t know, things are not easy to be predicted. At this age, I thought that I would have already been a former player and that I would have started a family.'

Mery, who is well-known as an incredibly private person, spoke about her relationship with the tennis champ in 2011. 

She told The Telegraph in a rare interview: 'Travelling together everywhere, even if I could, would not be good either for him or for me.

'He needs his space when he is competing, and just the idea of me hanging around waiting on his needs all day wears me out. It would asphyxiate me.

'And then he would have to be worrying about me … No. If I followed him everywhere, I think there’s a risk we might stop getting along.'