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From the court to the catwalk

Jo Carter December 17, 2010

It has been quite a year for Rafael Nadal - seven titles, three grand slams and a return to the top of the world rankings. But the Spaniard made his female fans' Christmas after it was revealed the world No. 1 would be the new face of Armani underwear in 2010. We take a look at ten athletes who have stripped off in the name of fashion...

Anna Kournikova
A player who has made significantly more money for her looks than on the tennis court, Kournikova burst onto the scene as a 14-year-old, but failed to live up to the hype. In 2000, Kournikova fronted an advertising campaign for Berlei's shock-absorber sports bras, coining the catchphrase, 'Only the ball should bounce'. Despite having not played on the WTA Tour since 2003, Kournikova remains one of the most searched-for athletes, and a rare appearance alongside fellow 'Spice Girl' Martina Hingis in the invitational doubles at Wimbledon was a welcome boost for fans at the All England Club.

David Beckham
In 2007, one of the world's most successful fashion designers joined forces with one of the world's most successful sportsmen - leaving women around the world swooning. Beckham had already successfully sold sports kit, soft drinks, hair products and phones, but 'Goldenballs' signed a £20 million deal to become the face (and body) of Armani's underwear brand. "I design with the body of a classical athlete in my head," Armani said. "David recalls the classical ideal - he brings to mind the beautiful Michelangelo statue in Florence."

Cristiano Ronaldo
The man who inherited Beckham's No. 7 jersey at Manchester United also stepped into his underwear. Famed for his metallic hotpants, the shy and retiring Ronaldo was the envy of men everywhere when he posed with his chiselled abs - thanks to his daily 3000 sit-ups routine. "For me, he is the essence of youth - spontaneous, exciting and a real maverick," said Armani.

Leryn Franco
She may have finished a lowly 51st in the Olympic javelin contest in Beijing, but she was a popular contestant in the Bird's Nest Stadium. Paraguayan athlete Franco is also a part-time model and was the runner-up of the 2006 Miss Paraguay competition. Franco, whose personal best is 55.38 metres, has used her modelling career to fund her Olympic dream.

Toby Sandeman
His childhood idol Linford Christie is his mentor, and he was crowned national 200m champion last year, but Sandemann is better recognised as a model. Having been seen on the catwalk for Calvin Klein, he has also worked for Ralph Lauren, and even did a photo shoot with Naomi Campbell for Vogue magazine. Like Franco, Sandeman's modelling career has helped fund his athletics, but unlike Franco, he has reaped the benefits - at the 2009 national championships he beat Marlon Devonish and Christian Malcolm and then-European leader Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun to take the national title in a personal best time of 20.69. He came home from the 2009 European under-23 championships in Lithuania with two gold medals and another new personal best in the 200m.

Maria Sharapova
Once voted one of the world's most eligible bachelorettes in an FHM poll, Sharapova went some way to fill the void Kournikova left. One slender blonde Russian made way for another - and like Kournikova, Sharapova ensured she used her looks to optimum effect, earning a lucrative deal with Nike. With a new eight-year deal worth $70 million, Sharapova is one of the highest paid athletes on the planet, regardless of any success on the court. But with three grand slam titles to her name before the age of 20, the former world No. 1 has earned nearly $14 million in prize money alone, in excess of $10 million more than Kournikova.

Fernando Verdasco
Verdasco was the envy of males across the globe when he dated former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, and he made a name for himself when he posed nude for Cosmopolitan Magazine in July 2008 to raise cancer awareness. When he featured in Calvin Klein's X underwear advertising campaign earlier in the year, many suspected Verdasco's career would swiftly follow that of Kournikova. However, titles in Barcelona and San Jose ensured he maintained his status as a top-ten player, and he narrowly missed out on a place in the ATP World Tour Finals.

Anna Rawson
While many sports stars turn to modelling, it is rare for a model to turn to sports. Australian beauty Rawson was handed her first modelling contract at the age of 16, and enjoyed modest success as an amateur golfer. She turned professional in 2004 and joined the LPGA Tour in 2008. A woman of many talents, Rawson balances her golf and modelling career, and has her own fashion line and a regular contributor to global golf magazines. Along with Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulbis, Rawson is responsible for the increased popularity of women's golf.

Daniela Hantuchova
A classically-trained pianist and a multilinguist, Hantuchova has displayed her talents both on and of the court, and reached the top ten for the first time in 2002. As well as her singles prowess, she has won all four grand slam mixed doubles titles. Hantuchova appeared in the of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition alongside Maria Kirilenko and Tatiana Golovin. But despite attracting attention for her looks, she insists she is 100% focused on tennis. "It is strange to me when people focus on how I look," she said. "It is nice to be complimented, but I am an athlete, a professional sportswoman. I focus on my tennis."

Shane Warne
He may not be blessed with the washboard stomach of Beckham or Ronaldo, but Shane Warne refused to miss out on the action, launching his own range of underwear just in time for Christmas last year. Flanked by a throng of male models as he launched the brightly-coloured range, Warne opted out of flaunting the range himself. "I don't look like that," he said referring to the bronzed Adonis with a washboard stomach.

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