Prakash Amritraj Reveals Huge Impact of Carlos Alcaraz on Ticket Sales: “That’s How Big the Guy Is”

Carlos Alcaraz‘s impact on ticket sales is so huge that even before he walks onto the court, there is a great deal of conversation whenever he changes his schedule. His unpredictable game style, his ability to smile even during the toughest of moments while competing, plus his humility make him a magnetic personality. Tournament directors are perhaps the happiest ones when Alcaraz performs in their events.

Alcaraz, however, has had to sit on the sidelines since winning his first-round match in Barcelona, during which he picked up a wrist injury that forced him to withdraw not just from the French Open but also from Wimbledon.

He recently withdrew from the Canadian Open, scheduled to start on August 2. But his name is on the entry list for the Cincinnati Masters, which starts on August 13.

Former ATP player and Tennis Channel analyst Prakash Amritraj, upon his appearance on the Nothing Major podcast, explained the impact of the seven-time Grand Slam champion on tennis.

I’ve spoken to tournament directors, and whether he’s injured or pulls out of a tournament, loses early, or makes the final, it is such a needle mover for the actual ticket sales of the event, I mean, that’s how big this guy is.

Alcaraz has so far featured in just five tournaments this season. He first won the Australian Open against Novak Djokovic, and that made him the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam. Next, he lifted the Qatar Open by defeating Arthur Fils.

The 23-year-old next competed at the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open, losing in the semifinals and the third round, respectively. He played just one tournament on the clay swing, reaching the final of the Monte Carlo Masters, but Jannik Sinner stopped him from defending his title.

Kyle Edmund on the severity of Carlos Alcaraz’s injury

Many believe Carlos Alcaraz is quite secretive about his wrist injury since he has not made any details about it public. But because a player like Alcaraz missed back-to-back Grand Slam events, British former player Kyle Edmund believes the injury was pretty serious.

Carlos’ injury does not look like a minor one; it seems serious because he had to stop for quite a while and miss Major tournaments. When you miss them, it’s serious. For these players, it’s their job: to win big tournaments. For us who love tennis, it’s hard to see these players absent. I love watching him play, so I would like to see him back on the court. He just needs to be careful with his wrist.

Kyle Edmund said (via Tennis365)

Wrist injuries have ended careers, so Alcaraz was advised to take his time and not rush his comeback. If Alcaraz competes in Cincinnati, then he will play as the defending champion. He was handed the walkover by Sinner in the final last year.

Then Alcaraz defeated defending champion Sinner in the US Open final to win his second title in the tournament. Because he has not competed since the Barcelona Open and lost significant ranking points due to it, he was removed from the second position by Alexander Zverev, who defeated Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final but lost to Sinner in the Wimbledon final.

Sinner and Alcaraz have met just once this season, in the Monte Carlo final. In Alcaraz’s absence, the five-time Grand Slam champion won in Madrid, Rome, and Wimbledon, where last year, he stopped the Spaniard from completing a hat-trick with a four-set win. The 24-year-old also withdrew from the Canadian Open, and thus missed a chance to bid for a historic Golden Masters.

Also read: Zeynep Sonmez Opens Up About Harsh Realities of Life on Tour: “I Was Home for 50 Days Last Year”