Watch: Rafael Nadal features in new car commercial, assures fans there are no issues in his tennis

19-time Major champion Rafael Nadal recently appeared in a commercial by Korean giant Kia Motors, where he is seen emoting with a friend who has seemingly missed out on a big development in Spain. The commercial was posted online on Kia Motors' and Rafael Nadal's Twitter handle.

Rafael Nadal had hinted at the release of the video through a cryptic message a couple of days ago, with the caption "Not tennis, but soon we will know." While it was initially assumed the Spaniard was talking about how much he was missing tennis, it is now clear what he was referring to.

The commercial begins with a man watching TV, and being shown an advertisement of Kia XCeed - the newest car created by Kia Motors. As the man watches the crossover glide across the road, he asks his wife in surprise, "When did this one come out?"

What follows is a hilarious gag on the man not knowing that the car was out in the market already.

The KIA ad was posted by Rafael Nadal on his social media handles with a caption that read:

"No, it was nothing tennis ... Now we are all aware that the Kia XCeed Range is on the street?"

Rafael Nadal in a KIA Stringer

The video continues with the man's wife and kids scoffing at him, following which he receives a call from Rafael Nadal himself. The man in his bewilderment asks Nadal what is going on, to which the Spaniard replies with a facepalm.

A month ago, Rafael Nadal had announced the extension of his partnership with the top automobile company for a period of five years, until 2025. The Spaniard had revealed at the time how his partnership with KIA Motors had played a big part in his journey as a professional tennis player and as a person.

"I already said that the issue was not tennis" - Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal had posted a cryptic video on Facebook that left everyone guessing

Sorely missed by tennis fans for his absence from the court since his triumphant run at Acapulco in February, Rafael Nadal didn't play any exhibitions during the COVID-19-enforced lockdown. He then went on to withdraw from the 2020 US Open, citing concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a reply to the advertisement posted by the Spanish handle of Kia Motors, Rafael Nadal replied with a wink, "I already said that the issue was not tennis."

That would have cleared the air regarding his animated Facebook post, which had the whole tennis community wondering what was going on.