Wimbledon Wedgie watch: why Rafael Nadal's underwear must be pants

Nadal in action at Wimbledon (GETTY IMAGES)

Almost as familiar a Wimbledon sight as strawberries and cream or Sir Cliff Richard being a nuisance in the royal box, is the sight of Rafa Nadal unpicking his underpants.

As well as a key part of the Spanish world No 2's pre-serve routine, the Rafa wedgie watch has become an annual affair. For a man who advertised Armani underwear, it's surprising he hasn't been able to find more appropriate pants.

Thankfully, there are a couple of new products on the market: Spanx for men, which hold every- thing in, or RevolutionWear's Frigo No 1 "high performance pants", which have an adjustable pouch and cost £64 a pair. Worth it, if it means he stops being the butt of the joke...