"Brands would kill for this kind of depth" - Journalist Jon Wertheim on veteran Serena Williams and teenager Carlos Alcaraz's performances at 2022 US Open
Renowned journalist Jon Wertheim eulogized the presence and performances of both Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz at the 2022 US Open on Saturday.
Wertheim, the executive editor of Sports Illustrated, was asked about his opinion on the dynamic variety of tennis stars taking center stage at Flushing Meadows. While the US Open has always served as an event where new players have introduced themselves to the world, the veterans are equally revered. The retiring Serena Williams and budding youngster Carlos Alcaraz have grabbed the limelight in New York this year.
With Williams and Alcaraz's performances in mind, among others', a fan asked Wertheim for his opinion on the depth in the sport.
“So on the same year we have seen players who are around 15 years apart writing tennis history. What does it tell us about the deepness of the sport??” the fan asked.
The 51-year-old opined that brands would enjoy having such a diverse age span do well in the sport, as seen by Nike sponsoring the likes of Williams and Alcaraz.
“Week one star: a 40-year-old american woman. Week two star: a Spanish teenager. Brands (never mind other sports) would kill for this kind of breadth,” he replied.
Week one star: a 40-year-old american woman.
Week two star: a Spanish teenager.
Brands (never mind other sports) would kill for this kind of breadth.
#USOpentennis twitter.com/nolocolo/statu…
The two headliners serve a vastly different audience. Serena Williams, a brand in herself, ropes in a loyal fanbase that goes beyond the sport. 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, has been ushering in a newer, spirited group of people that thrive off of his enthusiastic aura.
If the universe ever created a super being, she would be called Serena Williams. If there was a second, he would be called Carlos Alcaraz.
#USOpen
Williams drew a record-shattering crowd of 29,402 for her opening match against Danka Kovinic. Her second-round match against World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit surpassed those numbers by tending to 29,959 eager spectators.
Along with that, the 23-time Major winner’s final showing in the third round against Ajla Tomljanovic set a record of 4.8 million average viewers for ESPN, making it the most watched tennis match in the network’s history.
Carlos Alcaraz, who is one win away from becoming the youngest World No. 1 in ATP history, entertained fans in a late-night five-set epic alongside his arch-rival Jannik Sinner. The young duo have been enthralling viewers with their energetic brand of tennis in recent months.
“If you’re a big star, you have a pretty good life” – Matthew Futterman on fate of tennis players beside biggies like Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz
Tennis, an individual sport, has its opportunities and obstacles. Big stars like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and recently Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios may earn millions from their brand value. However, even a ranking outside the top-30 could result in struggles for other players.
Veteran sports journalist Matthew Futterman recently revealed huge financial disparities among players in an article for The New York Times.
“It really depends on who you are. If you’re a big star in the top 20 or 30, you have a pretty god life: You’ve got sponsors, you can afford to have a good team around you, coaches, physios, hitting partners. When you get below that level, it gets a lot more difficult and you start to get worried,” he said.
Futterman further revealed how tennis compares to other sports.
“It’s kind of a crazy situation given how popular tennis is. Tennis is roughly a $2 billion business. But the industry can support only 100 or so players. If you’re the 50th- or 60th- best basketball player, you’re probably making $12 million a year at least,” he added.