Carlos Alcaraz stepping into Rafael Nadal’s shadow with mega new deal
Carlos Alcaraz is being hailed as the new king of tennis and he certainly appears to be filling the void that will soon be left by Rafael Nadal.
The world No 1 has confirmed his status as the rising star of the game after winning the US Open and Wimbledon titles for the first time in the last year, igniting a new wave of interest in the sport with his brand of high-energy tennis.
Time will tell whether Alcaraz is the face of men’s tennis for the next decade, but he has filled a void left by his iconic compatriot Nadal.
The 22-time Grand Slam-winning champion is hoping to play a final year on the ATP Tour next year, as he looks to bounce back from injury and make one final push for titles.
If Nadal gets back on court in 2024, will be wielding his familiar Babolat racket and that is also the brand of choice for Alcaraz.
Babolat may have been wondering how they could retain their position as a leading racket manufacturer when their most iconic player brings down the curtain on his career, but Alcaraz seems ready to answer that question.
Alcaraz has played and won with Babolat rackets since he was 10 and will continue to until at least 2030 after signing a seven-year extension to his contract with the racket maker.
He signed the deal in New York ahead of the US Open, with Alcaraz welcoming the deal.
“For more than 10 years now, Babolat experts have been constantly working closely with me to provide the best tennis equipment for my performance. Playing with my Pure Aero 98 strung with RPM Blast strings is more than just having a tennis racquet,” Alcaraz said.
“It means I’m a member of the Babolat family, and that there are people at Babolat I think of as part of my team. They listen carefully to my needs and my feedback, and it’s a constant, constructive two-way process.
“As a result, I have always been happy with the performance and feel of the frames and strings, and extending this long-term partnership makes total sense.”
Many of Alcaraz’s commercial deals are being re-negotiated as his status as the world No 1 and a two-time Grand Slam champion has lifted his commercial value in the last year.
Yet this deal will not have been difficult for Babolat to finalise, with Alcaraz keen to stick with the racket that is giving him so much success and he is certain to have received a rise in his payments from the French company with this new contract.
“For us, sport is not just about success, but about attitude and values,” said Eri Babolat, the company’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Carlitos Alcaraz is a great role model who shares our values: “no gut, no glory,” and he is such an inspiration for the younger generation, and for all tennis fans.
“You could see how people warmed to him in Roland Garros and Wimbledon. His positive energy, on-court creativity, great sportsmanship, and pure enjoyment when playing tennis really connects with everyone.
“We are very happy to continue a relationship with Carlitos, which started 10 years ago when he was only 10 years old, for at least another seven years, and to work with him to make history and inspire the tennis world.”
This is likely to be the first of many lucrative sponsorship deals signed by Alcaraz in the coming year, with major companies around the world keen to wrap early agreements with a clean cut sportsman who could take tennis to the next level over the next decade.
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