Nadal ranks among People's 2015 Sexiest Men Alive

Rafael Nadal didn't lay claim much on the ATP World Tour this season, at least not in keeping with his usual brilliant standards. He did finish the season No. 5, though he suffered poor clay-season and major results. It's unfortunate for him that the long-standing memory of his 2015 season may be his steamy ad campaign for Tommy Hilfiger's underwear line.

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It's quite unlikely that he will, but Nadal might take some shard of consolation in being named to People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive list. Soccer star David Beckham, described in People as "tough and tender" but saying he hardly considers himself sexy, was dubbed the Sexiest Man Alive and leads the roster. The magazine actually has a photo gallery dedicated to "hot" Nadal photos.

There's precedent in this for Rafa. He was previously named one of the 100 "sexiest men" by Glamour's UK edition in 2013. In this past, his longtime rival, Roger Federer, landed the position of Sexiest Tennis Player Alive via People. Fed has been featured in the mag's "Sexiest" issue as far back as 2006.

The "sexiest" label is a fun one, and no doubt catalyzed by the Hilfiger tie-in. That said, Nadal certainly has his eyes on bigger prizes in 2016.

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