Many tennis fans and analysts already view Carlos Alcaraz as the sport's new superstar. However, Ion Tiriac thinks tennis should wait to reap the economic benefits of the Spaniard's rise to stardom.
Fans and former players panicked for years about the future of tennis once Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic retired. The gaping hole left by the three greatest players seemed like it would hurt the sport.
That is why so many people worldwide were relieved by Alcaraz's emergence. He brings a unique style and presence that the sport has never seen before and undoubtedly attracts new fans to tennis.
Alcaraz possesses an electric style encompassing excellent athleticism, drop shots, net play, and the ability to hit outrageous winners from any area of the court. Some think he might be the complete player to have played the sport.
Those exceptional attributes are why Djokovic's former coach, Nikola Pilic, thinks Alcaraz is more talented than his fellow young rival and current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, despite how exceptional the Italian is in his own right.
Alcaraz's personality is also unique compared to other top players in the sport's history. The 21-year-old often smiles during matches, savoring great shots and rallies, even when they come from his opponents.
That makes his personality different from that of women's No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who tries to keep her emotions strictly in check throughout her matches. It is good to have different characters in the men's and women's games.
All those factors mean Alcaraz is already a very marketable player. The Spaniard's popularity now creates a temptation to cash in, but Tiriac thinks that is the wrong approach.
Tiriac is a former player and coach. However, he is also an extremely successful businessman. The 85-year-old is a billionaire and one of the five richest people in his native country, Romania.
Using his insights from the world of business, Tiriac told We Love Tennis that Alcaraz could generate more for tennis in a few years when he improves even further. He thinks waiting for that time is more sensible than trying to reap all the economic benefits now.
"He’s a talented player, he’s sensational, he has incredible leg speed and power. But I think we’re making a bit too much of him, that we already want to reap the economic benefits when we’re only at the beginning of his career. We have to be much more patient, leave him alone because the dollar we earn today is nothing compared to what we can "earn" in a few years."
Tiriac owns the Masters-1000 event at the Madrid Open. Therefore, he is not a businessman who does not follow tennis closely. The Romanian's knowledge of tennis and business is substantial, meaning his opinion on maximizing Alcaraz's marketability should be taken seriously.
Managing Alcaraz's value to the sport over the coming years will be important for tennis. He could help propel tennis to new heights and prevent any damage from Nadal and Djokovic's absence when they retire. But it must be done smartly.
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