Rafa raking it in

TENNIS superstar Rafael Nadal has been named as Spain’s richest athlete by business magazine Forbes. The 28-year-old has a net worth estimated at between €150 million and €200 million, which makes him not only Spain’s richest sports star, but also the ninth richest athlete on a global scale and the Balearic Islands’ richest person.

The only other Spaniard to appear in the top 25 of the world’s richest athletes – released by Forbes this week – is Formula One driver Fernando Alonso, who is ranked 21^st richest in the world.

Footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – who both ply their trade in Spain – are named as second and fourth respectively on a global scale.

American boxer Floyd Mayweather is the highest paid athlete on the planet, according to Forbes, and others making up the top 10 are basketball players Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, tennis player Roger Federer, and American football player Matt Ryan.