Rafael Nadal

Mallorca born Rafael Nadal, known to millions as the former world No. 1 tennis player, is bound to excite his legions of fans when his latest promotional video comes out. In it, Nadal appears bare-chested at the wheel of a yacht as he sails around the Cabrera archipelago.

This will be the second instalment in a set of three promotional videos that the tennis player is making for the Balearic Ministry of Tourism. The video will be shown for the first time at the World Travel Market fair in London this November.

Nadal is reportedly receiving around six million euros to make the videos.

Mallorcan tennis ace Rafael Nadal has secured a six million euro agreement with the Tourism Ministry. The deal comes after months of negotiations and is aimed at boosting the islands’ sagging tourism numbers in the face of economic slowdown.

Speaking at a press conference alongside the young tennis star, tourism minister Miquel Nadal said “The best tennis player in the world will promote the best tourist destination in Europe.” The Tourism Ministry aims to achieve the same number of visitors in 2009 to Mallorca, Ibiza and Minorca as 2008.

Nadal’s first task was to record a television commercial, which he did atop a plateau in Son Castello. The commercial will be targeted at UK, German and Spanish tourists in 2009. Ibatur has reportedly already spent three million euros securing advertising slots on national networks for the ad.

Nadal will receive two million euros a year for the 2009, 2010 and 2011, whereupon the contract will expire. “I am proud to represent Balearics tourism, which is the economic engine of the islands,” he said. “I travel a lot and see a lot of places and that’s why I can confirm that you can do anything in these islands – except, perhaps, skiing.”

Nadal enjoying a short break on Mallorca with his girlfriend Xisca

It is hoped that Nadal’s highly visible public profile will encourage Europeans to visit the islands. “This is a measure of shock advertising in the face of the difficult 2009 season that lies ahead,” said sources from the Ministry of Tourism. An agreement is expected to be signed next week with the tennis star’s sponsorship company after some loose ends are tied up.

Tourism creates 10% of GDP and 12% of the jobs in Spain and the sponsorship deal is seen as important in boosting a positive image of the country to potential foreign tourists.

Rafael Nadal was born in Manacor and is one of Mallorca’s most famous sons. (JH)

Rafael Nadal will miss Spain’s Davis Cup final against Argentina because of a knee injury.

The top-ranked Nadal said Monday he was still struggling with tendinitis in his right knee following a week of treatment.

“These are very difficult moments, but I have done all that I could to be ready for the final,” he said. “It was a huge objective, and I’m used to playing with pain, but this is a distinct, new, pain that I couldn’t control.”

Nadal’s absence deals a big blow to Spain’s bid for a third Davis Cup title since 2000. Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario has until Tuesday to name his team.

Spain plays Argentina on indoor hard court at Mar del Plata from Nov. 21-23.

Rafael Nadal during the press conference in Barcelona

Sanchez Vicario most likely will replace Nadal with Tommy Robredo or clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro. David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco are expected to be back on the team.

Nadal this year won a fourth straight French Open and his first Wimbledon title. He withdrew from the Paris Masters last month with an injury to the same knee after losing the first set of his quarterfinal against Nikolai Davydenko. He then pulled out of this week’s season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, China.

Nadal also won the Olympic gold medal in a year when he supplanted Roger Federer at No. 1.

"I have decided not to compete in the Masters Cup in Shanghai. As I say this is one of the most difficult decisions in my career due to the importance of the event"

“I have decided not to compete in the Masters Cup in Shanghai. As I say this is one of the most difficult decisions in my career due to the importance of the event,” he said in a statement posted on his official web site.

The 22-year-old, who had to pull out of his Paris Masters quarter-final on Friday with a right knee injury, said it had been “a long and difficult year” which had left him without “the freshness needed to play at the top level of the game on these last events.”

“I want to recover and be ready for the important Davis Cup final with my country that will be played in Mar del Plata, Argentina. That is also another reason for not coming to Shanghai,” he added.

Nadal’s place at the November 9-16 Shanghai Masters would likely be taken up by France’s Gilles Simon. The Davis Cup will be held between November 21-23.

The tennis ace, who owns eight titles from 2008 including the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympics, said he expects to take part in the ATP Masters event in Shanghai in October 2009.

“On a personal level I had as one of my goals to become number one during this year and competing at so many events might have harmed, especially at the end of the season, my physical condition,” he said.