By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, June 14, 2024
Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz reportedly signs massive contract extension with Nike that will come with an added special bonus.
Photo credits: Rolex/Antoine Couvercelle
Before Carlos Alcaraz made history capturing his maiden Roland Garros championship he was already a big winner.
Inspired by imagination, Alcaraz fought off Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a four hour, 19-minute marathon to capture his first French Open crown on Sunday.
King Carlos: Alcaraz Fights Off Zverev for First Roland Garros Crown
The 21-year-old Spaniard made history as the youngest man to capture Grand Slam championships on the three major surfaces: hard court (2022 US Open), grass (2023 Wimbledon) and now his native surface red clay in Paris.
Before Alcaraz achieved that major milestone, he made his mark signing a massive contract extension with Nike, his apparel and shoe sponsor, Relevo reports.
Weeks before lighting up Paris, Alcaraz inked the Nike pact that will pay him an estimated $15 to $20 million annually over about the next decade and put him in rare air along his tennis heroes, iconic champions Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
To put the contract in perspective: Alcaraz earned a champion’s check of €2.4 Million (about $2.6 Million) for winning Roland Garros. The 2024 Australian Open, men’s champion Jannik Sinner and two-time women’s winner Aryna Sabalenka each earned $2.08 Million
Relevo reports the Swoosh brand will develop Alcaraz's own unique brand logo, which is reportedly being designed now, as Nike did with Nadal's iconic bull logo, which is branded on his clothes and shoes, and the classic Federer "RF" logo that appears on baseball caps all over the world.
Reigning Wimbledon and Roland Garros champion Alcaraz signed with Nike in 2019 and was initially under contract through 2025. The extenion makes Alcaraz and rival Sinner, who signed a 10-year Nike pact a couple of years ago, the faces of Nike men's tennis moving forward as well as the electric rivalry that can propel men's tennis for the next decade.
Two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka and four-time major champion Naomi Osaka are among Nike's top women stars.
In addition to Nike, Alcaraz is a brand ambassador for Babolat, Rolex, BMW and Calvin Klein.