Stars confirms Nadal deal
Tennis star becomes fourth member of Team SportStars and fourth Spaniard to represent operator.
PokerStars has announced the signature of tennis world number two Rafael Nadal as the newest member of its Team SportStars.
Nadal joins fellow tennis player Boris Becker on the team, as well as two Olympic gold medal winners in hockey player Fatima Moreira de Melo and skier Marcus Hellner. Nadal himself won Olympic gold in 2008.
He is the fourth Spaniard to sign with the operator, which was licensed to operate in the EU member state earlier this month, joining professional poker players Juan Manuel Pastor and Ana Marquez and Team Online member Javier Dominguez.
The 26-year-old, who won last week’s French Open final, will play poker in his spare time during the summer months, the operator said, before devoting more time to representing PokerStars in online tournaments, charity events and marketing campaigns this autumn.
PokerStars chairman Mark Scheinberg said: “Rafa Nadal represents all that is great about competition “ the mix of talent, intellect, dedication and mental strength that you find in champions in every sport.”
Last December saw the operator acquire Spanish-facing poker room Cara de Poker ahead of its entry into the Spanish market, while it was among 53 successful applicants named on the website of the General Directorate for the Regulation of Online Gambling last week.