Shakira was not content with selecting just any male modelto portray her love interest in the video for her latest single, "Gypsy," whichpremiered Friday on Yahoo! Music. So the Latin pop superstar picked tennis champ Rafael Nadal. Shakira thought Nadal would be able to relate to the song'sstory about a person constantly on the move.
Nadal, 23, is ranked No. 3 in the world and haswon six Grand Slam singles titles. In 2008, he won the Olympic gold medal insingles, and he also has to his credit 15 ATP Master Series tournaments. As apart of the Spain Davis Cup team, he helped win titles in 2004 and 2009.
"I thought that for this video, I needed someone who could identifywith, someone who had a similar vision," Shakira said in an interview, AFP reports. "Raphael Nadal, who hadbeen very much involved with his career at a young age, fit right in."
Shakira added, "I felt this parallel between the two of uswould be portrayed in this video, and I think it came out great."
The chemistry between Shakira and Nadal is undeniable, andmight cause some to speculate whether they are an actual couple. But both are in relationships. Nadal is dating his highschool sweetheart, and Shakira is engaged to her longtime fiancée Antonio De LaRua.
Like Nadal, Shakira has a personal connection with thesong's storyline. "[It] is a song that reflects the way that I live, the way Isee life," she said about the song that she also recorded in Spanish as"Gitana." "I have been on the road since I was a kid, and I think that's wherethe metaphor comes from."
The video was shot in Barcelona, Spain and directed by Jaume De Laiguana. The song appears on Shakira's "She Wolf"album which was released in November.