Carlos Alcaraz is no stranger to breaking records. The Spanish player is currently the number 1 player per the ATP rankings and is building an impressive legacy among his generation of tennis players. His new record is one that was previously held by his idol, the fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
The record is an economical one. Alcaraz’s tennis racquet just became the most expensive one to be sold at an auction. The racquet is the one he used when he played against Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon finals of 2023, and was sold for $173,066.
Alcaraz used the racquet when he beat Djokovic in a match that lasted an impressive four hours and 42 minutes, the third-longest Wimbledon final of all time. It marked an important title for Alcaraz and broke Djokovic’s five-year winning streak.
The financial record was previously held by Nadal, whose tennis racquet was sold for $157,000. The racquet in question was the one he used to play in the Roland Garros final in 2017. Nadal would go on to win the Roland Garros a few more times after, including the years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
© Getty Images for LaureusThe third most expensive racquet sold also belongs to Nadal and was the racquet he used to win the 2022 Australian Open. For this item, someone at an auction paid $139,700.
Adding to Alcaraz’s financial gains were also the ball he played with on the 2025 US Open, which sold for $88,900, and two signed illustrations, which sold for $222,000 and $237,000.
© AFP via Getty ImagesAnother record of Nadal’s to defeat?
Aside from breaking records in auctions, Alcaraz is also celebrating being the number 1-ranked player in the world for 42 weeks. This pairs him with Gustavo Kuerten, the Brazilian player who won Roland Garros in the years 1997, 2000, and 2001.
To win or match Rafael Nadal’s record, Alcaraz will need a few more years of tennis under his belt; Nadal spent a total of 208 weeks as the number 1-ranked player according to the ATP rankings, with him serving as the top player during three separate decades: the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s.
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