Rafael Nadal Teams Up With PokerStars

PokerStars announced on Thursday that Spanish tennis player, Rafael Nadal has signed on in a major endorsement deal.

Nadal, a seven time French Open champion, will be an ambassador for the online poker site. He will play in online tournaments and appear in adverts as well as charity events.

PokerStars is moving in the right direction by choosing the tennis champ to become the face of their brand. After receiving Spanish licensing, PokerStars launched a Spanish version of their product. With legalization of online poker on June 1st, choosing a recognizable local sports hero was a phenomenal choice.

According to Forbes, Nadal is the world$s 16th highest paid athlete. He raked in $25 million in endorsements in 2011 in addition to an $8 million paycheck.

“It$s no secret that I love to compete and try my very best in everything, whether that$s tennis, golf or video games,” Nadal said in a PokerStars press release. “When I discovered the game of poker, I chose to join PokerStars because they understand what it takes to be the best and associate themselves with the qualities of champions.”

The details surrounding the deal between the two were not disclosed.