NIKE TO LAUNCH CARLOS ALCARAZ SIGNATURE BRAND FOLLOWING CAREER GRAND SLAM
Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open win drew 730,000 US viewers, sparking predictions that he will become tennis’s next billionaire.
_1770422456.webp)
The closing rounds of the Australian Open really grabbed the world’s attention, and the U.S. TV numbers for the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic prove it. Even with no American players in the mix, the showdown drew 730,000 viewers on ESPN, according to Nielsen. That’s a whopping 57% jump from last year’s Jannik Sinner vs. Alexander Zverev final—despite the brutal 3:30 a.m. ET start time.
It’s the biggest American audience for an Australian Open men’s final since 2017, back when Roger Federer outlasted Rafael Nadal in a five-set classic that pulled in 1.1 million viewers.
The women’s final between Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka also ticked up, pulling 487,000 viewers—an 8% increase from 2025—even though Madison Keys, an American, beat Sabalenka that year.
Alcaraz’s win has cranked up his status as a marketing powerhouse. Brand expert Jack Kenney-Herbert from Sid Lee in London told Tennis365 that Alcaraz is now “the perfect commercial storm”—a 22-year-old Career Grand Slam winner with a digital reach the old “Big Three” never had when they started. With whispers of a signature logo coming from Nike, Kenney-Herbert thinks Alcaraz has already stepped beyond the sport into global-icon territory. His brand value is sky-high, and with his age and the money now in tennis, Kenney-Herbert says Alcaraz is on track to break earning records and become the most marketable athlete of his generation.
If Alcaraz keeps winning on the court and making smart moves off it, Kenney-Herbert says he isn’t just chasing trophies—he’s on track to join Federer as tennis’s next billionaire.
He’s already signed on with Rolex, BMW, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and Evian. After this latest win, those deals are set to pay out bonuses and get even more valuable when renewal talks come up. Now Nike is reportedly planning to launch an Alcaraz signature brand, putting him in rare company with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan—guys with their own apparel lines. And this might just be the beginning.
He looks ready to follow Federer’s path. Federer became tennis’s first billionaire, partly thanks to his move from Nike to take a stake in On, a then-small footwear company. Federer’s involvement helped turn On into a $20 billion giant, with his own share now rumoured to be worth $1 billion. Alcaraz could be next in line to make that kind of splash.
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
